Passing the Time
by Lexiconiful
Summary: Fluffy romance as well as some steamy hotness. How do Teru and Kurosaki pass the time before (and slightly after;-) graduation? Read and find out. Note:Combining 'A Marriage Interview' since it's a continuation of this story. I'll post to both until complete.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Dengeki Daisy or it's characters.**

**Note: Contains spoilers if you haven't finished the series plus the 3 side stories. These tales happen after the final scene in the third side story. Some things to remember: Kurosaki told Teru that they wouldn't do he wouldn't do anything beyond kissing until her graduation (Side Story 3)...but that leaves so many interpretations;-)**

"I still can't believe Masuda talked the ministry into letting us stay at this resort." Kurosaki said as they walked around the resort after dinner.

Teru raised a pedantic finger. "Well, 'luck is in the leftovers', as they say. Which is fitting if you think about it, given that he's a restaurant owner."

Kurosaki grinned down at his dorky girlfriend and took her hand. "Uh huh," he raised her hand up and kissed her fingers.

Teri blushed and looked around. "Kurosaki! People might see!"

He kissed her fingers again and then held her hand against his cheek. "It's just your hand, Teru. Besides," he teased. "You didn't seem to mind making out with me on the balcony a few hours ago."

She rubbed her fingertips against his slightly-bristly cheek and tried to glare at him. "One kiss is not 'making out'."

"You're right," he conceded as he nuzzled her hand, making her laugh and pull away. They clasped hands once more as they started walking. "I should explain the difference."

"What difference?" She asked innocently. He didn't say anything, so she looked up to find him smiling tenderly down at her.

Then he looked at her lips. "Oh," she whispered around a suddenly dry throat.

God she was cute, he thought to himself. He'd half expected her to bolt, to call him names, to demand to go back to the others, something. But instead, she just held his hand a little tighter (after blushing five shades of pink) and leaned into his side.

They were walking down a wooded path that ran behind the hotel and along the beach. Masuda had performed a quick recon (out of habit) when they first got to the resort and had told him about the hidden gazebo a little off the beaten path and hidden by trees. His guess was that he hotel had made it as an attraction, then had neglected to advertise the little hideaway. Teru's gasp of delight was reason enough to have brought her to the little structure.

"This is amazing!" He smiled as she twirled with her long skirt in the middle of the gazebo. "How did you find this? You can't even see this from the path!"

"Someone told me about it," he said softly as he walked slowly to meet her in the middle of the floor. He brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, running a finger along the rim and smiling as her breath caught audibly. "You look beautiful tonight, Teru."

"Um, thank you," she told his shirt front.

He feathered the same finger down her cheek and along her jaw. "Are you going to look at me."

She could barely hear him from the blood rushing in her ears. And, oh god, what was wrong with her breathing? She felt like she was a breath away from panting. "I am looking at you, moron."

He tipped her chin up and her eyes immediately jumped to his. "There you are," he murmured with a smile.

That smile had her holding on to his wrist for balance. "Kurosaki..."

"Shhh," he whispered as he leaned down and rubbed his nose against hers. Then he kissed her forehead. "I'm just kissing you. Not anything else." He reassured her.

Teru's eyes squeezed shut and her breath caught again as he brushed his lips against her earlobe. "That's not very reassuring." She whispered back in the same hushed tones.

"And why's that?"

She let go of us wrist so she could grab his jacket. "Because...eep!" His now-free hand slid down her neck then around to tug on her hair, keeping her head back as his lips moved from her face to her neck. "Uh, because I seriously think I'm going to fall down."

Kurosaki buried his face against her neck for a moment and took a couple of calming breaths. She was so perfect. So sensitive. Knowing how she reacted to the most of basic of intimacies made him feel like finding a shrine right then and there so he could thank the heavens for this gift of a girl.

He stood up and took her hands from his lapels, drawing them around his waist until she held him tight. "Haven't you ever read a shoujo manga before?" He teased as he buried one hand in her hair as the other slid down her back as bent towards her. "That's why you have to hold on to me."

"Oh," she started to say, but it turned into a moan as Kurosaki pressed his lips tenderly to hers. Her feelings of awkwardness and shyness kept trying to well up, only to be swept away as he kissed her again and again; soft, chaste kisses that eventually had her standing on her toes seeking a longer press of lips. "Kurosaki!" She whined when he raised his head once more.

"Yes?" He asked innocently. He kissed the corner of her mouth. "Don't you like it?"

"No. Yes!" She made a frustrated sound. "I just...can you kiss me like when you're drunk," she blurted.

That got his attention. He raised his head to look at her, then groaned. Her eyes were slumberous and shiny and her lips were puffy from his ministrations. "Kiss you like what?"

This time it was her time to groan as she hid her face against his chest. "Never mind." She knew from dinner that he hadn't had any alcohol other than the beer he'd consumed in his room hours before.

Intrigued, and wanting to kiss her again, he drew her face away from his chest and tipped her chin once more. "No. No. No keeping secrets fro Daisy-san. How do I kiss you when I'm drunk?" He asked, curious.

"Um, you know."

"Apparently not." He gave her a quick, smacking kiss that had her gasping before he pulled back once more. "Now tell me."

"Harder," she whispered, and closed her eyes in mortification. "And you use your, um..."

"My tongue?" He asked huskily, his breath hot against her mouth.

She nodded, then whimpered as he laved her bottom lip with said member.

"I really have to pay more attention next time I drink," he said, smiling as her fingers spasmed on his back. "But Teru," he waited until her eyes fluttered open. "We'll get there. I want to teach you other way to kiss tonight, too."

She swallowed at the look on his face and held him tighter as her knees went rubbery. "But what if I'm not good at it?"

"You're kisses are the best thing I've ever felt in my life," he told her truthfully. Then he grinned wickedly, "but if you're worried, then it's my job as sensei to help you get better." He dodged a foot stomp and leaned down, hovering his lips over hers, smiling as hers parted in anticipation. "Let me show you something new."

Teru sighed in pleasure as Kurosaki kissed her like he had before, softly and sweetly. But his next move had her jerking, holding onto him harder as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth before releasing it. The he bit it lightly, only to release it and wash the small hurt with his tongue.

He repeated the action in different places all over her lips until the sounds she was making threatened to shatter his control. He lifted his head and hers dropped back, as though it was too heavy to hold up. He solved that by clenching a trembling hand in her hair. He pressed his forehead against hers until her eyes opened once again. "Now your sensei says, do the same to me." God help him.

"Okay." Her shyness temporarily forgotten as her head was still swimming, Teru unwound her arms from around Kurosaki and brought up her hands to cup his face.  
"Like this?"

This time it was he who clenched his eyes shut. The nibbling of her teeth, the draw of her mouth on his flesh, and the flick of her hot tongue against him had him groaning out his own pleasure and fighting for patience. "Teru."

He opened his eyes as she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest once again. He could feel her trembling. "You okay?" He asked when he remembered how to use his tongue again.

"Yes. I thought it would be easier if I did those things to you," she confessed, embarrassed. "That I wouldn't get as flustered so fast...but it's worse." She rubbed her cheek against him, drawing in the hot scent of him. "I've never heard you make that sound before, Kurosaki." She looked at him shyly, but with a new, dangerous knowledge in her eyes. "I like it." She then looked down at her legs. "I'm also seriously about to fall down."

His 'me, too', had her blushing, but smiling. "C'mon." He scooped her up in his arms and had her squealing and complaining until he sat down with her in his lap on one of the gazebo benches.

That immediately shut her up and had her sitting so still and blushing so hard that he looked around to see if they had company. "What is it?"

"Um, nothing." She tried to stay still and get of his lap at the same time, but only resulted in an awkward shimmy that had Kurosaki's arm around her waist to keep her still.

He rested his head on her shoulder and tried to ignore the throb of where Teru sat pressed against his erection. "Relax. He won't hurt you." He raised his head and kissed her neck, making her jump. "I promise though, you kiss me like that and I can guarantee he'll be there no matter what. So you better get used to him." He grinned as Teru put her hands over her eyes as her embarrassment got the best of her. "But, we have a year," he reminded her, "before you have to pay any attention to that..."

Teru kept her eyes shut as she put her hands over Kurosaki's mouth. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She was not ready for this! How could he be so blasé?

She flinched as he kissed her palm where it covered his mouth. Then she squealed as he licked it. He laughed as she wiped it on his shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

"Maybe we should go back," she suggested nervously.

Even on his lap she was shorter than him, he thought as he looked down at the top of her bent head. "I still owe you a kiss."

She jerked her head up. "After that?"

"We're still missing the one you asked for," he reminded her, enjoying the spectacle of her red face getting even redder. He curved his arm around her shoulder and curled her towards him until her head was nearly on his shoulder and his mouth was brushing over hers softly. "Put one arm around my neck and the other around my back," he instructed softly. "Good," he praised her when she shyly complied. "Now, sometimes when the feelings are really high, I'll kiss you hard right away, like this..."

He bent his head the last centimeter and kissed her hard, just like he'd said. Her mouth had been already open as she panted out her breaths, so he slanted his mouth over hers and swept his tongue inside to thrust against hers. With bold thrusts and swipes of his tongue, he showed Teru the passion that was always right under the surface.

And she liked it. No, she thought to herself through the haze. She loved it. She'd thought that he'd kissed her in an 'adult way' before, but this... Her brain went right up to overload and then sped right past it, but she was okay, because Kurosaki kept a tight hold on her.

At first she could only feel and try to remember to breath when Kurosaki told her to, but soon, just like he'd told her before, she tried to mimic his actions...and was quickly rewarded with a gut-wrenching groan from him. In another second he had her pressed flat on her back against the bench as he sucked her tongue into his mouth.

That act had her body bowing towards his with a shattering moan... and he knew he had to stop.

He wrenched his mouth away from hers and buried his face in her hair. "God, Teru. You are so dangerous."

Even with her mouth now free, she felt like she couldn't get enough air. His voices so gravely and deep, had her tugging on his hair. "Do we have to stop?"

He groaned at the feel of her hands in his hair. "Yeah. Yes." He grabbed her hands and, without looking, stretched them out above her head so she'd stop touching him. He though that was a good idea until he raised his head and saw the picture she made, lush, obviously aroused, and pinned down by his big hands. He let go of her wrists and sat up, scrubbing his eyes with his hands as he fought for control. "Absolutely we have to stop."

"Okay," she sighed languidly. "But I need help up. My bones are completely rubber."

He groaned again and, eyes shut, held out a hand. "You need to shut up now."

She laughed and took the hand. "Thank you, Kurosaki." She sat up, having slid off his lap when he pushed her to the bench, and still feeling dazed, leaned against his side. The fact that he was trembling like she made her feel giddy and hot all over again. She clearer her throat. "Should we head back?"

"Um," he hunched a little and scrubbed his face once again. "Maybe in a little while. So Riko doesn't dismember me on sight." He felt Teru nuzzle his arm as she sat by him. Girls had it so much easier. He smirked and pointed at the next bench over. "Which means you should sit over there for a few minutes minutes."

She looked confused for a moment, then went beet red as she clued in. She tried to be graceful and non-chalant as she stood, but her knees were still rubbery, so she stumbled a bit on her way over. "How's that?"

Kurosaki had taken off his dinner jacket and draped it over his lap. He took a deep breath. "Very slightly better."

She straightened her skirt and picked off imaginary lint. "Okay then."

She couldn't see the leaves in her hair from her time in the bench, but Kurosaki could. "Hey, Teru?"

She looked over at him, his blond hair waving in the breeze. Her hands clenched again at the memory of it under her hands. "Yeah?"

He gave a slow smile that had her grinning back. "That's making out."


	2. Chapter 2

Riko hid a smile the next morning as Teru packed their lunch. "Soooo, has Kurosaki seen your suit?"

"Of course," she said absently. "He's the one who bought it for me." She looked down at the two piece she'd gotten for her last trip to the beach with her friends. "He said I couldn't go to the beach in my school swimsuit."

Riko turned a laugh into a cough. "And has he seen you in this yet?"

Teru frowned in thought. "No. I didn't try it on at the store and you were the one that came with us to the beach." Suddenly nervous, she looked down at herself. "Why? Is something wrong? You don't think he'll like it? Maybe I should change. I brought my school uniform, just in case."

Riko stopped her before she could dash for her suitcase. "Nothing's wrong! You look cute." And the school suit would probably give him an aneurism. She patted her shoulder when Teru pouted at the word 'cute'. "Guys like cute. Don't worry."

"Okay." She looked at Riko and felt a pang of good-natured envy. "You look good too, Riko." She actually looked stunning, like a movie star. Her lush figure was highlighted by a two piece with which she'd paired a sarong and a wide brimmed hat. She glanced down at her own form, unimpressed. "Should I bring a wrap?" Not that there was anything to see.

Grinning at the thought of a possessive Kurosaki, Riko opened her mouth to tease her, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. "Hold that thought," she told her, and all but skipped to the door.

"Are you two ready?" Kurosaki asked as he stepped inside. "Everybody else already headed to the bea..."

Riko bit her cheek to keep from laughing as the two youngsters stared at each other.

She had to admit that Tasuku did look good in his swim shorts and an open Hawaiian shirt that hid none of his lithe muscular glory. Teru obviously thought so too, since she stood with a wrapped onigiri in her hand, mouth open, and beet red.

Kurosaki's eyes just kept sweeping Teru from head to toe while he said 'um' over and over. A quick arm pinch had him jerking his eyes back to Riko. "Did you have something you wanted to say," she prodded.

He nodded. "Yes, I do." He pointed at Teru. "Are you really going out like that! What are you thinking? Your belly button is even showing!" He shrugged off his shirt and started to walk towards a shocked Teru with the wild idea of cocooning her in fabric, but a fist collided with the back of his head before he got two steps.

"What is wrong with you!?" Riko shrieked as Teru ran from the room.

He dodged another fist. "What's wrong with me? What are you doing letting her go out in that?"

"That's the suit that you picked out, you insensitive moron! And we're at a beach! What else is she supposed to wear?" She pointed towards the bedroom door that Teru had shut behind her. "You go and fix this right now." She grabbed the picnic basket and turned towards the door. "You idiot!"

Kurosaki rubbed the back of his head and stared at the bedroom door. He knew he had handled that badly, but Teru in her two piece had short circuited his brain. All he could think of was all the attention she'd obviously garner at the beach, and the attention she must have gotten he last time she wore it to the beach. Without him.

He rubbed his face with both hands and went to knock. "Teru? Can I talk to you?"

He heard rustling as she moved around the room. "Go away, Kurosaki. Don't worry, I'm changing."

Aw crap. At least it didn't sound like she was crying. He leaned his head against the door. "Please don't change. I'm sorry I said those things. You look beautiful."

The noise behind the door stopped. "Really?"

"Really," he told her honestly. "So beautiful that the thought of other guys seeing you like that made me a little crazy for a moment."

"Um...well, thank you for saying that, even if we both know I'm just a scrawny little girl. So I'll just wear this." She opened the door, and glancing down at her school swimsuit, patted her chest. "Although this is getting a little tight."

She looked up in surprise as his hands grabbed her shoulders tight. "Kurosaki?" She squeaked the next moment when he pushed her right back into the room and shut the door in her face.

She was still staring at the door when his voice came from the other side. "Don't." His voice was rough. "Don't wear that. Just put the other suit on and let's go."

"I...I'm sorry," she sputtered as she quickly changed once again. "I guess you don't want to be seen with someone in a school suit, huh? I guess that would look pretty weird."

Kurosaki gave a short laugh and was glad she couldn't see him on his knees in the hallway. "Yeah. Right. Weird." He stood up quickly when she walked towards the door once more. He sighed a little as she stepped out in an oversized T-shirt. "Really?"

She blushed but raised her chin. "I was going to wear this anyway. It has nothing to do with you." She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and brushed past him to grab her hat and her beach bag. "But go bald anyway."

"Hey, Teru."

Embarrassed, she kept walking towards the door without looking at him. "What?"

He let her put her hand in the knob before he put both hands against the door, trapping her between him and the door. "Look at me."

She turned and looked up at him, her breath catching as he stared down at her with a sweet and sly expression.

He leaned down and she met him on her tip toes as he kissed her softly, one hand cupping her cheek. She sighed his name as they parted and she felt him smile against her lips before he kissed her once again. She dropped her hat and her bag and went to grab his shirt in order to keep her balance, only to encounter the hot skin of his chest.

He jerked at her touch and she snatched her hands back, breaking the kiss to cover her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what I'm doing."

Pressing his hands against the door once more so that he didn't grab her hands and put them right back on him, he pressed a kiss to the top of her bent head and tried to catch his breath. "I will disabuse you of that notion at another time. Now," he cleared his throat and picked up her things. "Let's get to the beach before Riko thinks she has to come and kill me."


	3. Chapter 3

"It's about time!" Riko told them as they met the rest of the group on the beach. She noted Teru's blush and narrowed her eyes at Kurosaki. "Are you okay, Teru?"

Teru gave her a two-fingered salute. "Everything is fine! Sorry for my outburst earlier."

Riko gave her a hug and flicked Kurosaki off behind her back. "That wasn't your fault. You're so nice. I would have punched him." She plucked at the t-shirt Teru had put on over her suit. "What's this?"

Teru blushed again and got busy repositioning a beach chair. "Well, I need a cover up, don't I?" She gave a little laugh and waved a hand. "Besides, no one wants to see a stick figure like me at the beach."

"Hmmm." Riko glared at Tasaku once again and slowly drew her finger across her throat.

He steadfastly avoided her gaze and grabbed a chair for himself, maneuvering around the others until he was beside Teru.

"Now, children," Andou had been a few feet away screwing a cooler into the sand. When he stood up both Teru and Kurosaki fought to keep their faces straight. He had white paste all over his nose, an old man's fishing cap, as well as his usual round sunglasses. The effect was quite comical. "We're going to have some fun. We'll have to do some work soon enough," he said, reminding them of the summary reports the Ministry had sent them to the resort to produce. "Now!" He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Which of you lovely ladies would like to bury me in the sand?"

A can of coffee came out nowhere and hit Andou in the head, pitching him into the sand.

"Sorry about that," Boss said lightly as he returned from the vending machines. "It slipped out of my hands."

Andou gave a thumbs up from the sand. "That's perfectly alright. It's a good way to start out this vacation."

"Ewww." Riko took a beverage from Masuda. "I'd hit you some more for that, but you'd only thank me. Now you." She pointed a finger at a startled Teru. "Get that shirt off so you can put on some sunscreen. I know you didn't put any on in the room." She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle, tossing it to Kurosaki. "Help her with that, will you?" Then she turned her back on them to talk to Boss and Andou.

Teru and Kurosaki looked at each other, then looked away, blushing.

"Um, I can put it on myself." She said shyly.

Kurosaki gave a little cough. "Right. Fine, but, um, you can't get your back." He pointed out. "So I'll do that. Have a seat." He waited until she sat on the beach chair then he sat behind her. He cleared his throat once more. "You'll have to take the shirt off."

She complied with a groan and a deepening blush. He watched from behind as even her ears turned red. God, she was cute.

Teru jumped when Kurosaki suddenly laughed. "What?" She held the shirt against her front, then squeaked when he grabbed it and threw it amongst their bags. "Kurosaki?"

"We're idiots,"he said softly, resting his cheek on the top of her head. "We're acting like a couple of kids. Why are we so nervous?"

She glanced over at the other adults as Kurosaki kissed the top her head. "Um, I'm not quite sure how we're supposed to act in front of everybody. And you," she shivered a little as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "You made me all self-conscious back in the room." She shrugged. "I mean, I've seen you without a shirt on and you've seen me in my school suit before, but this feels different somehow."

Kurosaki smiled and took a hold of her hand to squirt some lotion into it. "You do your front. I'll get your back." He squirted some onto his own hands and brushed them over her shoulders. "That's because it is different." He watched the goosebumps race over her skin in fascination. "In a good way."

Teru gasped a little as his fingers spread lotion under her back straps. "Why is it good that we're nervous and self-conscious?"

"Because it just means that we're very aware of each other. That we both feel the same way." To prove his point he leaned over her to give her more lotion, pressing his chest against the skin of her back and making her flinch at the contact. "It's part of the fun of belonging to someone else." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "I still remember how it felt not to be able to even hold your hand. And all of the times I thought might be taken from me...that makes me want to steal away every moment I can get with you." He took a hold of her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Every touch. Every time I see you I have to stop myself from taking everything. That makes me nervous, Teru."

Teru had barely been able to keep a coherent thought in her head when he had used his big hands to spread the sunscreen on her back, but his words, the way he was all but wrapped around her and the look in his eyes as he slowly bent towards her blanked her mind and had her lifting her face towards his.

"Hey, everybody! There's a takoyaki stand up the beach!" Akira skidded to a stop in front of their chairs. "What are you two doing?"

Kurosaki looked down at Teru, whom he now held in a near headlock. "She's got sand in her eye!" He nearly yelled while scrubbing a hand over her face until she started slapping at him. "I think we got it out now."

"Uh huh," Akira watched as a blushing Teru shoved Kurosaki out of the beach chair. "So, takoyaki or what?"

"That sounds great," Teru said, deciding to ignore Kurosaki until her heart beat returned to normal. Getting away from him for a few moments seemed a good idea. "Let's go." She grabbed her bag. "We'll be right back," she called out.

Kurosaki picked himself up out of the sand and watched them head up the beach. He really did love her suit.

Riko came beside him. "How're you doing there, Daisy?" She drawled. "Did you get all of the sand out of her eye?"

He took a deep breath and shucked his shirt. "Shut up, ya old hag. 'Help her with the lotion', my ass." He headed towards the water. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Me?" Riko smirked as he flicked her off and waded into the surf. "I'm just tying to help."


	4. Chapter 4

"That's 6 orders of takoyaki." The vendor handed to bag to Akira as Teru paid the bill.

"I'm going to run these back while they're still hot," Akira told her.

She smiled at his happy exuberance and yelled after his retreating figure. "I'll be right there."

Teru heaved a sigh as she ambled back towards their chairs. She stopped as Kurosaki popped up from beneath the water with a triumphant cry holding a sand dollar. He ran a hand through his wet hair, sleeking it against his skull, then waved as he spotted her on the beach. Her first thought would normally have been to run into the water and join him, but her nerves, already on edge from the lotion incident, jangled again at the sight of a lithe, wet Kurosaki, gleaming in the sunlight.

Turning on her heels, Teru headed back towards the concession stands with her hands on her hot cheeks.

What was wrong with her? Her female friends had pouted with envy at the idea of going to the beach with a boyfriend. They had regaled her with instructions on how to be cute, alluring, and all of the other tools females used to keep their boyfriend besotted while surrounded by other bikini-clad females. She couldn't even remember if she'd seen any other girls on the beach, let alone try to be cute and enticing.

She thought of the night before and their kiss against the door this morning. Enticing him didn't seem to be a problem anyway, she thought with a blush. She just felt clumsy and young, she realized.

Teru had walked past the vendors and into a picnic area. She didn't realize it until she walked past a table full of young men and one of them grabbed her arm, startling her.

"Well, hello there," the handsome teenager said smoothly. "Are you alone? You should join us for a drink."

"No, thank you. I'm not alone." Teru tried to tug out of his grasp without seeming rude. "I have to get back to my friends."

"Now, now. Don't rush off. We don't bite. " He stood up, still holding onto her arm as his friends shouted their invitations. "My name is Orochi. Come on and sit with us. Let me buy you a drink."

"My friends are waiting for me," she said again, getting frustrated. She slapped at his hands, but that only made him laugh. "Leave me alone."

"Don't be like that. What's your name?"

"Her name," said the menacing voice behind Teru. "is none of your business." Kurosaki stared at the hand that was still wrapped around her wrist. "Just how badly do you want your hand broken?"

"Hey, man. Sorry!" Orochi apologized, shaken by the promised threat in the tall, obviously delinquent, man's gaze.

Teru sighed in relief when Orochi snatched his hand back, releasing her wrist. "Thank you Kuros...ack!" She yelped as he swung her up in to his arms and turned away from the subdued young men to stride back towards their place in the sand. "What are you doing?!"

"I can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" He groused as he held her tighter. "Do you want me to start punching out random strangers?"

"That is not fair. That was not my fault." She didn't know where to put her hands, so she laced them together and tried to ignore all the points of contact their skin was making at the moment.

"You wear that suit out in public and it's kinda your fault," earned him a gasp and a thump on the chest. "Why didn't you tell them you had a boyfriend?"

She went perfectly still, her eyes going wide. "I...I forgot I could say that." she admitted, embarrassed.

Kurosaki rolled his eyes and stopped walking. He jerked his head back towards the picnic area. "Are those guys still watching us?"

Teru peeked over his shoulder. "Yeah."

"Good." He turned around so that they were in full view and then he kissed her.

Teru's hands fluttered for a moment as Kurosaki's lips pressed against hers, before they crept around his neck and held on for dear life.

At the touch of her hands Kurosaki angled his head, held her tighter, and deepened the kiss until her nails were leaving marks where she held him tight.

He raised his head when his knees began to wobble and rested his forehead against hers. He felt her breath panting against his lips and locked his knees. "Repeat after me; 'I have a boyfriend'."

"I have a boyfriend," she said breathlessly, her eyes still closed.

"Now say, 'His name is Kurosaki Tasuku'."

"His name is Kurosaki Tasuku," she parroted back weakly as he softly kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Say, 'he's a punk who will kick your ass if you so much as look at me'," he murmured against her lips.

Their spectators forgotten, her hands slid from his shoulders to his hair, trying to hold him closer as he kissed pressed kiss after kiss all over her face. "Kurosaki."

He almost pitched them both into the sand when she moaned his name. He cursed as he lifted his head, taking in her dazed eyes and flushed features. "Are you going to forget again?"

Her hands unclenched from his hair and fell back to his shoulders. "Forget what?" She asked, staring at his mouth.

Absurdly pleased, Kurosaki ignored the temptation of her kiss-swollen mouth and shifted his hold until he could hoist her over his shoulder. "Forget it," he yelled, ignoring her surprised shriek. "I'm just going to tattoo 'property of Kurosaki Tasuku' on your forehead. That should help."

Teru tried to brace her hands on his back as he began walking once again, but her hands kept slipping. "That's not funny," she giggled. "I won't forget." She noticed they were heading for the ocean instead of the beach chairs and started laughing as she wiggling in his hold. "Kurosaki don't! I won't forget, I promise. I have a boyfriend! I have a boyfriend!"

They'd been going out for months, but hearing her say it still brought a stupid smile to his face.

"Quit wiggling," he told her somewhat desperately. He had one hand wrapped around her thighs and his back was awash with sensation at the touch of her hands and the occasional brush of her torso against his skin. A plunge into the water would do them both good. "Take a deep breath!" He warned before he fell backwards with her into an oncoming wave.

They came up, hair in their faces, sputtering, and laughing as they held on to each other in the surf. "You're a bully, Kurosaki!" She giggles as she splashed him.

"A bully, huh? Didn't I just save you?" He asked innocently as he wiped the water out of his eyes. "Carry you off like a princess? You should call me your knight in shining armor." Then he gave her a smile that had her squealing and making an attempt for the shore. He grabbed her from behind and pitched them once again into the waves.

They spent the next hour in the water playing and searching for sand dollars. When he found out she was scared of starfish he searched for one in earnest and then chased her out of the water and around the beach chairs until even Andy told them to cut it out.

"Ah, youth," he intoned from beneath his hat as the two collapsed on to their beach chairs. "Such energy."

Riko opened one eye from where she'd been sunbathing and watched Teru and Kurosaki smile at each other as they dried off. "Actually, I think it's love, not youth," she whispered to Andy.

Andy nodded with a smile and adjusted his hat.


	5. Chapter 5

Shoutout to TeruDaisyFan for the prompt for this one. Thank you!

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Akira watched Teru and Riko walk up the beach. "You know, Teru doesn't have much of a rack, but she's still kind of a hottie in that suit."

Boss and Kurosaki turned slowly and stared at him. Akira watched curiously as Boss put a hand on Kurosaki's shoulder. "What?"

The two men looked at each other and nodded before standing up. Then they each took a hold of one of Akira's arms.

Teru put a hand up to her eyes and squinted out at the water. Kurosaki and Boss were holding onto Akira's legs and... "What are they doing? Are they trying to see how long he can hold his breath?" She asked Riko.

Riko smirked. "It's either that, or knowing him, what we psychologists like to call 'behavior modification'. In any case," she put her arm around Teru. "Ignore them. How do you like the trip so far?"

"It's been so amazing," Teru sighed, thinking of having everyone together...and of the moments she and Kurosaki had shared. "Um, when do we have to write the report for the Minstry?"

"We're going to do that tonight. That way," Riko said with a wink, "our last day of vacation will be stress free and we can do what we want."

"That's right!" Teru clapped her hands excitedly. "Kurosaki is taking Akira and I to go paint kokeshi dolls tomorrow!"

"Really?" Riko put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I swear, that boy has no sense of the romantic."

"Everything doesn't have to be romantic. Although, just being with him openly feels romantic to me." Teru looked back at the boys who were now having a water fight in the waves. "Don't blame him, though. He asked what tourist attractions I wanted to do and that's what I told him."

"And Akira? Why is he going?"

Teru shrugged. "Because it sounds like fun. We thought he'd enjoy it."

"Uh huh." Riko rolled her eyes at the thought of a teenage boy enjoying painting dolls. "I've been meaning to ask, how do feel around him? Around Akira, I mean," she asked in what Teru called her 'psychologist voice.' "You seem awfully relaxed around someone who's put you through so much."

Teru was silent for so long that Riko mentally kicked herself. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up now. Forget I asked."

"No. No. It's alright," Teru said slowly. "I was just figuring out how to say it. When all of you first decided to try and save him, all I could think about was what he'd done and all of the trouble he'd caused. But watching all of you, especially Kurosaki, work so hard to help someone who was so much a victim of circumstance...well, it reminded me of me. Well, me and Kurosaki."

She waved a hand at the look Riko gave her. "Just hear me out. I lost my parents. He never had parents. I had my brother and he had the professor and we both had those taken away. But," she hugged herself. "I had Daisy and he had no one. After Daisy I had, ha ha, Kurosaki and then all of you to save me; to stop me from going down the wrong road. He didn't have any of that." She stopped and picked up a shell. "In fact, he was actively pushed down that wrong road. Like Kurosaki all those years ago."

"What if," Teru said softly, "my brother had turned his back on him? What if none of you had helped him? Would he be the same person he is today? Would he be here with me like this? I don't think so." She threw the shell out in the water. "Akira's just like that. He deserves the same chance."

Riko sniffed back a tear. "Your brother would be proud of you, Teru," she told her with a hug.

Teru smiled mistily and hugged her back. "He'd be proud of you, too, Riko."

They separated with a laugh and linked arms to head back up the beach. "Soooo, did you pack the dress I got you?" Riko asked slyly.

"Yes," she responded with a blush. "It's so lady-like. When would I wear something like that?"

Riko squinted up the beach to where Kurosaki was currently burying Akira in the sand. "That's the sort of dress you wear when your boyfriend takes you somewhere nice."

"Um, but he hasn't said that he wants to go anywhere while we're here." Teru said shyly. "Like a date."

Riko just patted her hand. "Let's just wait and see."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi Everyone! If you're not familiar with some of the cultural terms and items in this story, I recommend a quick image or Wikipedia search. You should be fine without it (if I've done my job right). It's just more interesting with a visual:-)**

* * *

The report done, the next day everyone took off around the island for their own pursuits. Masuda had decided to take is a food fair to see if he could come up with any more dishes for his restaurant. Riko decided to head back to the beach before going souvenir shopping, and Andou had made for the local city to play in their electronics stores. He'd also heard that there were some very interesting S&amp;M maid cafes (at which point nobody wanted to hear about his plans anymore).

Kurosaki, Teru, and Akira were coming back from a local village where they'd spent the morning at an artisan shop.

Teru glanced at Akira sleeping in the backseat. She couldn't see his eyes because he was wearing the gruesome demon mask he'd painted, but she could hear the snores. "I didn't know the painting studio offered the Noh masks and the daruma dolls. I thought it was all kokeshi dolls; cute girls with adorable haircuts."

"Yeah, well, I'm thankful there were options," Kurosaki said with a grimace. "Otherwise we would've had to put up with the same stinkin' complaining that we had all the way here. 'I don't want to play with dolls!' 'What am I going to do with a bleepity bleep doll!'," he said in perfect imitation of Akira.

"You shush." She said and held up his round figurine. "I noticed you chose a daruma monk doll." He'd even left one of the eyes unpainted as a form of making a wish. Once the wish was granted he could paint in the second eye.

"Well, duh. What did you expect? Besides, mine is a symbol of courage and brings good fortune while yours is just a doll, so there." He turned to watch as she stuck her tongue out just like he'd drawn on the daruma figure. "You're lucky Akira's with us."

"Why's that?" She asked innocently as she continued to make faces at the doll. When he didn't respond she glanced up at him, tongue still stuck out, to find him staring at her mouth with a tender, but hungry, look on his face. She restored her face to order with a gulp. "Oh."

Kurosaki turned his attention back to the road and smiled to himself as she put away the dolls and sat very still beside him for the next few minutes. She'd been so cute today. First, she'd regaled him and Akira with the history of kokeshi dolls and difference between them and Hina Matsuki dolls. Then, when they'd driven by one town sign, she'd gotten all excited and told them a famous poet from god-knew-when used to live there, then had proceeded to recite a poem. Akira had made so much fun of her for that one that Kurosaki had been sure he'd have to pull over to break up a slap-fight. Teru had surprised him though, she'd just ignored Akira and pointed out the next interesting landmark. When he'd asked her about it later, she just said that between teasing from her brother, schoolmates, and Daisy, she was pretty much immune.

Teru cleared her throat after a few minutes. "Thank you for today, Kurosaki." She patted the bag containing her own doll. "I've always wanted to try this."

He smiled. "I know. But don't thank me yet. Our day isn't over." He reached over and held her hand. "Will you go out with me tonight?"

She blushed, but she wove her fingers through his and held tight. "Okay."

He brought their joined hands to his lips. "Don't you want to know where we're going?"

"I don't care," she sighed. She didn't realize what she'd said until he burst out laughing. "I'm sorry," she said sheepishly. "I do care. Where are we going?"

He opened her hand and kissed her palm, still chuckling. "Ah, that was great. Now I'm not going to tell you. Just for fun." He glanced over and watched her eyes close as he kissed her palm once more.

"Watch out!"

The scream from the backseat had both of them yelping. Kurosaki dropped her hand and put both hands on the wheel to yank the car back on to the correct side of the road, narrowly avoiding an oncoming car.

They continued quietly for a few moments, all of them panting, before Akira began yelling at them both. Apologizing, they let him rant about drivers safety, 'stupid couples', and how he was too young to die. When he began to run down to muttered oaths and glaring out the window, Teru snuck a quick glance at Kurosaki and found him in the same state as she; stifling a laugh that would bring on another lecture.

"I'm not going anywhere else with you two lovebirds while we're on this trip," Akira groused. "You're dangerous."

Kurosaki gave a little cough to keep from laughing and thought of the evening he had planned with Teru. Alone. "Perfectly understandable," he said meekly. "We'll leave you out it then." He winked at Teru and watched her cover her face to keep the laughter in. "For safety's sake."

Akira crossed his arms with a nod. "Damn straight".


	7. Chapter 7

Kurosaki checked his watch again as he stood in the hotel lobby waiting for his date. Riko had overheard him tell Teru that he'd come to her room to get her and she'd just shaken her head and decreed they'd meet in the lobby. When he'd asked why she'd just smiled and said 'impact'.

What ever that meant.

He was about ready to call Riko and explain to her what reservations meant when he overheard two men at the front desk.

"Hey, look at her!"

"Do you think she's alone? Let's ask her for a drink."

Turning his head to where they were staring, he saw Teru standing by a pillar at the entrance of the lobby. And she looked stunning.

Her hair was up, showcasing her long neck and her adorable ears, and was artfully held in place with two sticks. Her dress was a long, slim black sheath that hugged her figure and reminded him of that American movie that took place at Tiffany's. As he walked towards her (with a glare at the gawkers) he could then see she was wearing heels that made her legs look 10x longer.

She looked elegant, refined, grown up and beautiful.

She was also talking to herself.

"No funny faces," he made out as he got closer. "Elbows off the table and cross your ankles. No corny jokes."

He maneuvered around the pillar until he was right behind her. "But I like your corny jokes," he mock-whispered into her ear.

"Eep!" She spun around so fast that she tripped herself up in her heels.

Kurosaki steadied her before she could face plant. "At least you weren't practicing ninja moves this time," he said as he let her go with a laugh, referring to her birthday when he'd met her in the lobby of their apartment building.

Teru closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She could feel the blush heating her cheeks, both from her tripping and him catching her talking to herself. Even though they'd been going out for half a year, moments like this, an official date, made her nervous.

She opened her eyes and looked at Kurosaki. She sighed. He was so handsome she just wanted to stare at him all night. He looked so debonair and dignified in his suit. Even his blond hair looked like a high-end fashion statement. Whereas she felt like a kid playing dress-up next to him.

She glanced up and was instantly caught by the look on his face. "Kurosaki?"

Sometimes, he thought to himself, he was just struck by the fact that she was so beautiful. That she was okay. That she was his. That she loved him.

God, he loved her.

They stood there for a moment until he reached out a hand and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. He lingered for a moment along her jaw before dropping his hand.

He cleared his throat. "You look beautiful, Teru." And dangerously adult-like. He thought briefly about kissing her in the middle of the lobby when she ducked her head with another blush. He offered his hand instead. "Are you ready?"

She took it with a nod. "Thank you. You look beautiful, too. Wait, no!" She stuttered when he laughed. "You look handsome, I meant to say."

He laced his fingers through hers. "Now that we've established that we're both hot, do you want to go eat?"

This time she laughed. "Did I say hot? I didn't say hot."

He winked at her as they walked out to the valet. "Shhh. Shhh, now. It's alright." He patted her hand as he helped her into the car. "I know that's what you were really thinking. I know I was," he finished on a murmur.

He was so goofy. She let out the giggles as he made his way around the car and then sobered up when he opened his own door and got in. "I see." She thought a moment about what he'd said and felt a heady feminine thrill. Then, as an experiment, she crossed her legs as he started the car, slowly so that the skirt crept just above her knee.

He stalled the car with a curse.

Feeling hot (and a little guilty), Teru quickly tugged her hem down. A little went a long way, Riko had told her. "Is the everything okay? Is something wrong with the car?" She asked innocently. He blew out a breath and, keeping his eyes straight ahead, gently restarted the car. "The car's fine," he said with a cough. But he was sort of a mess, he acknowledged wryly.

Teru really was growing up fast.

Thank god.


	8. Chapter 8

Teru sat silently beside Kurosaki as they made their way away from the resort hotel and into the mountains that comprised most of the island. She felt silly about her stunt with her hem. She didn't know how other girls did this. Were they born with feminine wiles and knowing how to flirt? Did their mothers take them aside at some point and teach them these things the same way they taught them to wear makeup?

Kurosaki glanced at her when she sighed and noticed her blush. "Hey." He reached over and took her hand. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." She blushed even more and shook her head. "Boys. Makeup." She thought of the time he'd made her knees go out in the elevator. "Perfume," she finished lamely.

"Ahhh." He knew exactly what she was thinking about. He'd heard Riko and even Rena dole out womanly advise from time to time. He had to admit he enjoyed most of their efforts. Like that skirt move. "I like the scent you're wearing tonight."

Teru stuttered when he raised her hand for a kiss. "But, um, I'm not wearing any perfume."

He drew in a deep breath then sent her a look that did something to her insides. "I guess it's just you then, that smells so good."

She sighed, dazzled by him. "I really do love you." She blinked, snapping out of it when Kurosaki's grip tightened suddenly on her hand. "Um, I mean..."

"Don't," he stopped her. "You never have to qualify that. In fact," he smiled teasingly, "I might record it with my cell. It can be my ringtone for you."

"Don't you dare," she laughed. "So where are we going?"

"We're going to one of the villages," he said simply. "For dinner and a show."

Teru looked around at the woods and the mountains surrounding the car. "A show? Here? Ohhh." She bounced a little in her seat. "Are we going to see a movie?" She asked, thinking of the one they'd missed when 'eyelashes' needed help studying.

"You'll see." She gave a small pout and took her hand back, making him laugh again. "You'll like it. I promise."

"Hmph," she playfully groused, but she couldn't keep it up. She watched him as they drove to wherever they were going, admiring his profile, the way his hands looked on the wheel, everything. She felt overly warm, nervous, and ye she couldn't stop taking him in. When he had to call her name twice because she was staring at the way his hair fell over his ear she gave herself a little shake and lightly slapped her cheeks.

He shot her confused look. "What the hell was that for? Are you falling asleep on me?"

"No. Nope." She started to change the subject, then stopped, taking a breath. "Um, can I ask you a question?" She asked in a rush, closing her eyes to help with the embarrassment. "A Daisy kind of question?"

"Oookay," he said, intrigued. Whenever she said it that way it meant she was looking for advice or information. He couldn't wait to hear it. She'd been staring at him for a while now. He'd enjoyed the way her voice had gotten breathier when he'd unbuttoned his suit jacket, and the way she'd stared at his hands and blushed. He'd kept up a rambling monologue just to enjoy the sensation of her eyes on him. It also drove him nuts. If he weren't driving... He cleared his throat. "What's the question?"

"Am, um, am I doing it right? Dating. I mean?" When he didn't respond right away she hurried on. "I don't mean the regular day to day boyfriend/girlfriend situation. I mean going out. Like this." She finished lamely, waving a hand between them.

Teru jumped when, instead of answering, he pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped.

Kurosaki put a hand on her chin and turned her head so their eyes met. "Why are you asking me that?"

She tried to turn her head away, embarrassed even more now that he was facing her and not concentrating on the road, but he wouldn't let go. Staring at him in the car had made her warm, and frankly, a little light-headed. Having his full attention and the touch of his hand on her face now made downright dizzy.

"I feel a little weird," she admitted.

He smiled. "That's not a question."

"It's just, I usually only feel like this when you kiss me," she admitted shyly. "But we're just sitting here. Is something wrong with me?" She put a hand to her forehead. "Maybe I'm getting sick."

Teru watched nervously as Kurosaki closed his eyes, put both hands on the steering wheel, then pressed his face against the wheel so hard that the horn kept going off. "Kurosaki?"

He turned his head to look at her but kept his hands where they were. "There's nothing wrong with you," he said, his voice deeper and rougher than before. "Except for the fact that you're seriously trying to kill me."

She reached for his shoulder then snatched her hand back when he flinched. "I'm sorry!" She closed her eyes in mortification and covered her face with her hands. "Can we just forget I asked? I don't know what's wrong with me tonight!"

She heard the click of his seatbelt and suddenly he pulled her hands away. She kept her eyes closed.

"Nope. Sorry. Can't forget," he told her simply. "Hey, Teru," he said tenderly, loving her all the more for her innocence and shyness. "Look at me." He waited until her eyes met his and then he kissed her. He just pressed his lips against hers softly, over and over again, until her head fell back weakly against the seat and the hands he still held turned limp in his grasp.

Her eyes fluttered open when he pulled back. It took her two tries to find her voice. "Kurosaki, what..."

"Nothing is wrong with you," he repeated in that gravelly tone. "I want you to feel like that. I always feel like that when I'm near you," he admitted. He took one of her hands and pressed it to his chest, "You feel that? My heart starts going faster whenever I think about you, let alone see you."

"And dates are different," he told her, resisting the urge to kiss her again as she clinched her hand in the fabric, staring at his mouth and trying to catch her breath. "Dates are where we get to ignore everybody and everything else and just concentrate on each other. Got it?"

He ran his thumb over her lip when he asked that question, effectively making her mute once again, so she just nodded.

"Good," he leaned towards her once more, but stopped when a car passed them on the road. He sat up with a groan and re-buckled his seat belt. He kept his eyes forward as Teru straightened up in her seat with a deep sigh. "Did that answer you question?"

She touched a hand to her kiss-stung lips and nodded, paused, shook her head, then nodded again.

He started the car with a cough. "Glad we could clear that up."


	9. Chapter 9

After their momentary interlude on the side of the road, they drove through the mountains for another twenty minutes until Kurosaki turned off at an exit nearly obscured by the surrounding wildlife. A brief clearing in the trees showed a breathtaking view of tiered rice fields interspersed with forest that descended into brightly lit village nestled in a narrow valley. He grinned as she all but plastered herself to the window to catch more views through the trees and told her that town below was their destination.

They pulled up to an old, traditional Japanese-style house that sported a hand-painted sign that simply said 'The Table'. Teru gave a sigh at the number of people waiting in line outside the building. She wouldn't have worn these heels if she'd known they would have to stand for a long while.

But when they got out of the car, Kurosaki took her hand and headed straight for the doors where a truly ancient woman in a yukata bowed at his name and led them into the dining area. Due to her dress, she suspected, they were led to an area with raised tables and actual chairs, instead of the low tables with floor cushions in which most of the patrons sat. Teru blushed a little as the woman winked at them and then took her leave.

Now she watched in appreciation as Kurosaki expertly flipped meat and vegetables on the grill set directly in their table. She smiled at him as she played with her salad. "You do realize this could count as two dates." She gestured around them, then at the grill. "Not only did you take me out to dinner, but you're also making me dinner."

"That's because I'm a dating genius," he told her humbly as he started transferring the food to their plates. "Not to mention the best boyfriend in the world."

She gave him a light kick under the table, laughing as he caught her foot between his legs and held her. "I'm so lucky to have such a modest man."

He held out a piece of beef, delighted when she shyly took it from his chopsticks. "You forgot 'handsome'."

She was so cute when she snorted, he thought.

"How did you know about this place?" she asked. "Is it famous?" The restaurant was at least forty minutes away from the resort and deep in the mountains.

He shrugged. "No. It was just one of the ones that took reservations and was near this village."

She held out a piece for him on her chopsticks, fighting the urge to look around and see if anyone was watching. "Why? What's so special about this village?"

Kurosaki took a bite, and wished everyone else in the room to the opposite ends of the earth when she blushed a rosy pink. "Nothing special." He shrugged nonchalantly. "They just happen to have a festival this weekend, is all."

Her squeal of delight had several heads turning before she slapped her hands over her mouth. "Sorry! Sorry." She clasped her hands in front of her and looked at him with eyes as bright as jewels. "Are we really going to the festival after this, Kurosaki?"

He owed Rena big-time, he decided as she all but wiggled in excitement. She had cornered him at school one day and asked him if we was going to the local shrine festival with Teru. When he'd said he had no idea what she was talking about she had poked him in the chest with her sharp, manicured finger and told him to pay more attention. Apparently, Teru loved festivals, but through the years, due to one thing or another, she almost never got to attend. She'd been seven the last time she'd even owned a yukata, he'd been told, and she was always too poor to play the games or buy food from the stalls so she always found a reason not to go when her friends invited her.

All this had apparently been divulged during an over-night study session at Rena's. And Rena was going to make sure her best friend got what she wanted.

"She thinks you won't want to go, so she's not going to come right out and ask you," Rena had said with a flip of her hair. "She too nice. So you're going to have to step up. Got it, Daisy?"

He got it, but they'd missed the local shrine festival due to his work with the ministry. He suggested she go with her friends, but she made noises about her mock-tests and ended up staying at home. Rena (who now had his number) had quite a few pithy things to say about that when he'd checked his text messages.

When Boss had told them about this trip he'd immediately checked the surrounding areas for local festivals and came up empty. Thanks to the debacle with the baby that set the vacation back nearly a week, however, their trip had timed perfectly with a shrine festival at this small village.

"We're really going," he told her. "But we have one more stop to make after we eat."

Teru was so happy, she barely heard what he said. "My brother used to take me every year when I was little. We stopped going when our parents died and he had to work all the time," she said matter-of-factly. "We used to try to catch goldfish and toss rings. He was never any good at it," she recalled fondly. "We never won anything, but it was a lot of fun. We'd always leave before the fireworks started, because he had homework to do and I was so little, but I could see the glow of them on the sides of the building from my window."

Kurosaki reached across the table at her sigh and took her hand. "There will be fireworks tonight," he promised. "We'll find a spot where you can see them perfectly."

They just held hands and smiled at each other until the grill got too hot next to Kurosaki's arm and he yelped. Teru snickered at him lovingly as he checked his suit jacket for burn marks.

"This is going to be so much fun." She looked around the room at the other guests. "I was wondering why there were so many people in yukatas. I guess I just thought this was how people here dressed." She looked down at herself. "Now I feel kind of overdressed. And the shoes..." She gave a little groan. "I definitely would have picked better shoes."

Kurosaki gave her a little leer at thought of the heels she'd taken off when they'd first entered the restaurant. "You couldn't have picked better shoes...for me, I mean."

She rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Oh. Well, then."

He mentally blessed Riko and the flats she'd given him earlier in the evening to stow in the car when he'd told her what they were doing. He didn't tell Teru, though. Time enough for that during the next surprise.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun was well behind the mountains when they left the restaurant, but bright lanterns lined the streets, winding through the village to light the way to the shrine that was nestled at the base of he mountain. By now people were starting to fill the streets as the sounds and scents of a summer festival filled the air.

Kurosaki surprised her as led her back to the car. "That nice old lady said we could leave the car here if we wanted to walk," she reminded him.

He opened the car door for her. "We still have one more stop."

Teru kept sneaking peeks at Kurosaki as he drove, looking for some clue since he wouldn't tell her where they were going. He wound through a few side streets, avoiding the main thoroughfare until he pulled up to building which housed several businesses. She smiled as she saw the ice cream store at the corner, thinking about how they might share a sundae.

But Kurosaki instead took her hand and steered her towards another store which highlighted traditional clothing.

She stopped in her tracks, jerking Kurosaki to a halt. "Why are we going in there?"

He gave her hand a tug. "Come on. have a surprise for you."

She didn't budge, but instead looked him in the eye and asked, "Have you been talking to Rena?"

He stared above her head and paused just a moment too long. "Um, why would you ask me that?"

Teru stomped her foot as best she could in heels. "I never should have told her about those old festivals!" She let go of his hand and turned back to the car.

Kurosaki stopped her by putting his arms around her. "What's the matter? I thought you liked this sort of thing? Even Souichirou used to tell me stories about how he'd take his 'adorable Teru' to the Sakura festival and the shrine festival and how much you loved it."

She closed her eyes as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's just that when Rena tells you things like that it makes me feel like you're being pressured or that I'm being pitied. You don't have to do this kind of thing for me or buy me things, Kurosaki." She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand. "I'm happy just to be with you."

"That's sweet." He turned his head and kissed her palm. "And overly-dramatic." He let go of her only to scoop her up and head towards the shop. He walked towards the doors with her squawking and slapping at his arms. "You should damn well know by now that I don't do anything I don't want to," he told her, ignoring the people outside the ice cream shop who were now gawking. "And if I want to make you happy and give you something you're just going to have to suck it up!"

He gave the door a couple of kicks until a middle-aged woman in traditional dress opened the door. Teru quit squirming at the her polite hello and nodded her head. If the lady thought a man carrying a girl into her store was odd, she gave no indication, but just opened the door further so Kurosaki could carry her in.

He set her down in a room that had her drawing her breath at all of the beautiful clothing and accessories. Silk kimonos, brightly patterned obis, and other items covered every surface. Forgetting Kurosaki for a moment, she walked around, arms crossed like she was afraid to touch such luscious fabric.

Kurosaki gave a relieved sigh as he watched her, then he bowed to the proprietor. "I greatly appreciate you staying open a little later for us. I apologize for the inconvenience."

She waved away his thanks. "I am glad to help. I have several things ready in the back ready for her to look at." She looked at Teru's heels. "Will she need sandals?"

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the pair Riko had slipped him. "Um, you might have to talk her into trying things on. She can be stubborn and she might be a little mad at me."

They watched as Teru ran a single wondering finger down a trail of flowers on an obi sash.

"A woman who looks like that will not be mad for too long at the one who gives her such a thing." She patted his shoulder and pointed to a chair. "I will take her back now."

Teru soon found herself in a dressing room where several yukatas and obi sashes were laid out for her perusal as well as the undergarment, the juban, since it was obvious that she had to lose the dress. Her eyes welled up when she spotted a familiar motif among the cotton creations. She walked over and picked up one of the short sleeves. "Did he ask to get this one in particular?"

The lady, whose name was Wada, smiled as she unzipped Teru's dress. "No. These are actually all that I have left, since people have bought quite a few for the festival." She picked up the yukata, whose blue, daisy-like flowers adorned the white sleeves and hem, before the petals melded into to the darker blue that comprised most of the fabric. "I find that women tend more towards the chrysanthemums or the bird motifs, lately," she explained as Teru took off her shoes and donned the white juban, whose collar would layer under the edges of the yukata.

After the juban, the yukata was put on; the right edge tucked under (tucking in the left edge was reserved for death, she was told). Two straps of fabric then secured it, one under her breasts and then one right at the hip bone. The fabric was then arranged so that the robe hit her right above her feet and the excess fell over her waist in a fold. Wada made sure there was a fist-sized gap between the back of her neck and the collar (as befitted a single lady) and then suggested a light pink obi with white flowers to contrast the robe.

Wada fussed around her, adjusting pleats, checking cinches, and generally ensuring that everything would stay in place as she moved around. She snuck a peek at Teru's face before she smoothed the traditional drum knot she'd made at he back with the obi. "You know, your young man was nearly frantic when he called me a few days ago."

"What? Kurosaki? Why?"

She ran a hand over Teru's hair, tucking in strays and making sure the pins held fast. "Because he was so anxious to surprise you. Because he was worried we wouldn't have anything in stock with the festival so close. Because he was worried that you might not like anything." She patted her lightly on the cheek. "Because he loves you." She stepped back. "Now. What do you think?"

Teru turned around to look at herself in the mirror.

She stood there for so long without saying anything that Wada felt compelled to ask, "Is there anything wrong?"

Teru shook her head. "It looks amazing," she said softly, running a careful hand down the fabric.

"You have the perfect straight silhouette for a Japanese woman. Yukatas and kimonos were made for shapes like yours. Now, walk around the room," she was told. "Sit down and then stand up. See how it fits. This way we know if we need to adjust something. Oh! And don't forget these." She produced the shoes Kurosaki has given to her and bent to slip them onto her feet.

Teru was now actively trying not to cry. It was (technically) just a simple cotton yukata, but it meant a lot more to her. It brought back a flood of memories from happier times. It also told her a lot about Rena and Kurosaki that they'd cared enough to try and recreate those feelings for her.

She had the best friends and the best boyfriend in the world.

"Did you want to try on one of the others?" Wada gestured to the other garments in the room.

"No!" Teru had to stop herself from crossing her arms protectively over the robe. She cleared her throat and said more calmly. "Um, this is perfect. It's definitely my favorite."

"Alright." Wada carefully put Teru's black dress in a garment bag. "Stay here for one minute. Then we'll go show your young man." She smiled at Teru's nervous blush.

Wada left the dressing room first and smiled at Kurosaki who was nervously tapping his feet in the chair. He jumped up when he saw her. "How did it go? That was fast. Did she choose something?"

She held up a hand, nodding her head in approval of his own change of outfit. "Your young lady has good taste and she knows what she likes." She rung up the sale, noticing that he kept looking back towards dressing room. She smiled and handed him the garment bag with the dress. "I will send her out."

As she disappeared behind the screen again, Kurosaki looked in the mirror once more and checked his own yukata. It had been so long since he'd worn one that he'd had to double check on his phone that he was wearing it right. He'd stashed it in the car earlier in the day along with sandals. He'd hurriedly changed in the shop's restroom, worried they'd get done before he could get ready. He'd figured it would be harder for her to say no to her on outfit if he was already dressed and ready to go.

"And here she is."

Kurosaki took a breath and forgot to let it out as Teru stepped from the dressing room. Her eyes were shyly cast downward, so he took a moment to appreciate the the picture she made. If he'd thought she looked good in a little black dress, she looked amazing in the yukata, delicate and beautifully feminine.

Teru felt ridiculously shy, especially after how she had acted in front of the shop, so she kept her eyes down and fiddled with the cloth cinch purse that had come with the outfit. "Well? Does it look okay?"

She heard him take a step towards her and finally looked up. Then her mouth fell open and stayed that way.

The Kurosaki she'd left in the shop had been wearing a very nice and well-tailored black suit, an elegant tie, and shiny shoes. This Kurosaki was wearing a dark gray yukata that reached to just above his ankles, a midnight blue obi (much less wide than hers), and the sandals he'd worn all weekend on the beach.

He looked amazing.

He took her hand, apparently oblivious to her reaction to him, and bent his head to press a kiss to her knuckles. "You look beautiful." He straightened up and addressed Wada without turning away from Teru. "Thank you for your help. She just shines, doesn't she?"

Wada laughed as Teru blushed and told her young man to 'stop it'. God, they were cute. "She does indeed. Now!" She clapped her hands, making the couple (who were still staring at each other) jump. "You two go out and enjoy the festival. I know I'm going to." . She gently scooted them towards the door. "Leave you car here. I'm closing the shop now, anyway."

They bowed to her, thanking her again for all of her help and for the beautiful clothes. She bowed her own thanks and sent them off, smiling to herself as she remembered past festivals and the boys she had walked with hand in hand. She also remembered when one of those boys had finally looked at her like Kurosaki had looked at his Teru.

Speaking of her husband, she'd better go and check his obi, she thought lovingly. He never got the knot quite right.

On to the festival! Please feel free to leave a review if you're enjoying the story so far. Thank you.


	11. Chapter 11

Teru stood on the sidewalk as Kurosaki put the garment bag in the car. Her imagination was going wild as she watched him mov in his yukata. She could easily picture him as an Iga Clan foot soldier; a sword around his waist, his hair long, maybe some scars from battle. He'd strut around with one arm out of the robe, muscles gleaming, and looking...

"Hey!"

She jumped and came back to herself, realizing he now stood right in front of her and had said her name a few times before he'd given up and shouted.

"Sorry! Sorry. What did you say?"

Kurosaki frowned and put a hand to her head and one to his. She didn't feel warm. "Are you okay?" She also seemed out of breath. "You're all red. Is your sash too tight? Can you breathe okay?"

Her tongue didn't want to work so she just nodded. She nearly gurgled as he put both hands on her shoulders, the movement causing his robe to gape so that she could indeed see his perfect, perfect chest.

"Hey," he put a finger under her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "Are you still mad at me?"

That broke the spell. A bit. "Oh, Kurosaki." She took his hand, holding tight. "I wasn't mad. I was just embarrassed and didn't know how to handle it. Thank you so much for this. I love it." She let go of his hand and stepped back, holding out her arms. " Do I really look okay?" She asked shyly.

Kurosaki knew that other girls might use that question to fish for compliments, but not her. She just looked up at him without an ounce of guile.

He wanted to kiss her so bad his teeth ached, but he way he felt right now, he might mess up her new ensemble. "I said you look beautiful, didn't I?" He took her hand once more and headed toward the crowds they could hear a few street over. "Let's go. I think the parade is about to start."

"Okay." They headed towards the noise and the lights and after a few minutes Teru just had to ask, "So you bought one, too?" He looked at her blankly so she plucked at his sleeve.

"Oh. Um, no." He cleared his throat. "Ah, Souichirou actually got this for me one year. We were all drinking and it came up how I'd never owned one. He was really tipsy and actually started tearing up." He smiled at the memory, which made Teru smile. "He dragged me to this shop near the office and basically bullied me into trying this on. I refuse to get it, so the bastard paid for the damn thing while I was changing back into my own clothes."

She stepped closer to his side and he let go of her hand to put his arm around her shoulder. "That sounds just like him."

"Yeah, well, you've got nothin' on the fit I threw outside that store," he smiled at her giggle. "And if a sober Souichirou was hard to argue with or maneuver around, a drunk one was impossible. Anyway, I've never had a chance to wear it before now."

She leaned her head against him for a moment, happy that in a way she now got to share this connection between her brother and Souichirou.

They came up to the lantern-lit main road that ran through the center of the village toward the shrine and maneuvered through the small crowd until they stood by the curb. Their timing was perfect, as at that moment drums began to beat up the road around the bend beyond their sight.

Teru clapped her hands along with the beat, cheering along with the rest of the crowd as a small band of drummers came into view. There was no grande and elaborate pageantry (as there often was in Tokyo during festivals), but instead the drummers, stripped to the waist and all wearing headbands, beat out their catchy tattoo with a serious demeanor as they led the procession.

Next came the head priest in his ceremonial robes and his shaku, or baton, of office. Behind him were three miko, or shrine attendants in their red and white garb. They all carried purification wands, the white paper streamers rustling at the ends of the long sticks as they marched in time to the beat of the drums.

Behind them came the divine palanquin that carried the spirit of the god. The red and gold structure, an ornate, perfectly proportioned miniature building, was held aloft by six men on bamboo poles. They would occasionally shake the structure in an effort to 'awaken' the god before they got to the shrine.

People put their hands together and closed their eyes as it passed and Teru did the same, thanking the (as yet unknown) god for the festival and the opportunity to be here with Kurosaki. She opened her eyes and watched as some of the people bowed. Some were all the way down, their foreheads on the ground as the palanquin passed.

She looked over shoulder to find Kurosaki finishing his own benediction. "Do you know what kind of shrine this is?"

He shrugged. "No clue. I just saw that the date and time were right and went for it."

"Hmm."

After the palanquin passed came a small crowd of people. The whole group consisted of pairs of men and women. The crowds lining the street waved and called out names, indicating that these people were from the village proper. The demeanor of the parade changed at this point too, the solemnity giving way to laughter and cheers. This as probably due to the fact that the group was throwing candy into the crowds.

Teru laughed as children ran around the sidewalk and into the street to gather as many sweets as possible. Kurosaki reached out a hand and caught one as it flew over head.

"Hey," he sounded so aggrieved she turned to see what he'd gotten. "This isn't candy." He showed her a very tiny ball of red string. "What's this thing supposed to be?"

Something niggled at the back of her mind but wouldn't take root. "I don't know. But now I'm really curious."

The small parade continued down the street and soon disappeared into the forest that shielded the shrine. The crowds fell into the street as the last of them left, the children rushing about, picking up candy and the string that had fallen.

Teru looked around for the stalls and vendors, but only saw brightly lit shops, their proprietors making the sound business decision to stay open later for the festivities. "Where's the actual festival?" she asked, perplexed. In Tokyo during festivals the streets were lined with vendors and games.

Kurosaki watched the crowd head en masse down the road towards the woods that surrounded the shrine. "It must be on the shrine grounds," he guessed. He took her hand and headed in that direction. "At least I hope so. It would be just my luck to bring you to a lame-ass festival that doesn't even have a candy apple stand."

She laughed and nudged his side. "Don't worry, Kurosaki. There's always that ice cream shop back by the car. Besides, I can't wait to see the actual shrine and find out what kind of god they have. Oooh," she gave a few excited hops that were at odds with her elegant appearance. "maybe it'll be one of those mountain gods and they'll dress someone up like a tengu." She scrunched up her face to illustrate.

"Maybe it'll be a fertility god," he said slyly. "It could be female and there'll be statues with giant breast."

She slapped his hand down when he tried to demonstrate proportion. "Oh yeah?" She countered. "Well it could be a male and then there'd be a statue with a giant..."

Kurosaki snorted as Teru realized what she was about to say and trailed off, turning beet red . "You were saying?"

"Never mind!" She squeaked.

He laughed so hard that several people looked their way, smiling at the way he was trying to hug her while she tried to push him away in embarrassment.

He won that small skirmish and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her top of her head, which she had tucked against his chest. "Sorry, but you walked into that one." He leaned back so he could see her face. "You do realize that if either of us are right I'm going to laugh my ass off."

"So will I...eventually," she admitted with a smile. "I'll have to take pictures if that's the case or Rena and Haruka will never believe me."

Kurosaki laughed again and put his arm around her shoulders as they started walking once again.

They walked with the rest of the crowd and soon they were under the laced canopy of branches that hung over the wide road. Here they found the stalls, with all of their noise, smells, and energy lining the road on either side. Paper lanterns wove through the branches overhead, looking like fairy lights as they lit both the path and the wares.

They ambled their way through the fair, holding hands and pointing things out to each other. They saw familiar foodstuffs, such as takoyaki, yakitori, yakisoba, karaage, and taiyaki. They also saw some that didn't normally see in Tokyo, like grilled scallops and sea berm. Kurosaki immediately loaded them up with candy apples and cotton candy as soon as he spied the stalls.

They tried several of the games, their competitive natures taking over as they challenged each other. Teru's horrible throwing arm had her bouncing a ring off of the head of the man in charge of the ring toss, but Kurosaki won a mask. He chose a tengu mask, just in case Teru didn't get to see her scary mountain god at the shrine. She won at an archery game, trying not to notice how everyone (who had seen her at the ring toss) took cover when she took aim. She chose a smiling okame mask and they both wore them to the side as they tried a little bit of everything.

They played with cork guns, cards, and water pistols. They played kingyu suku, trying to scoop the goldfish into dishes before their paper scoop broke. Teru found that she had a knack and showed a grumbling, fishless Kurosaki her bowl of gold and black prizes. She was ready to toss them back in the water (since she couldn't take them on the plane) when she noticed a little boy crying over his broken wand. She had the fish bagged then, with a nod from the grateful parent, she gave the little boy her winnings.

Kurosaki held her steady as the sturdy little boy tackled her legs in thanks.

He pulled her into a small photobooth that had been up for the occasion, pulling the curtain shut behind them. They did the normal routine, smiles and v's for the camera. They even bowed their heads and held their hands as though in prayer as a visual reminder of where they were.

Teru stood up to slide out of the booth when she noticed Kurosaki feeding more money into the slot. She was about to ask him what other poses he wanted to do when he pulled her into his lap.

"Kurosaki!"

"One more." He cupped her cheek as she looked up at him, slightly scandalized. He ran his thumb over her lower lip, barely registering the first click of the shutter. First he kissed her forehead, then her eye, before moving on to her mouth.

She raised her hands to his shoulders as he kissed her lips, softly at first, then more firmly as he tilted his head, his hand moving from her cheek to the back of her neck to angle her better for his attentions. Her mouth slowly opened at the lave of his tongue along the seam of her lips. She felt the world go hazy as he gently explored her mouth with his tongue. He whispered to her how he wanted her to kiss him back, their tongues meeting in a lazy dance. No thrusting, no frenzied madness, just a worshipful attention that to Teru, felt like a wordless 'I love you'.

A sudden banging had them jerking apart, eyes wide as they stared at each other, breathless.

"You kids stop that now." A chiding voice told them through the curtain. "There's a line of people out here waiting their turn."

"Sorry. No problem," Kurosaki replied after he got his voice back. "We'll be right out."

Teru put hands to her hot cheeks, but Kurosaki pulled them away, kissing each hand before winking at her. "Here." He pulled her mask around and over her face, being careful of her hair. "Instant anonymity."

She did the same to him. "We should have gotten pictures with the masks on."

"We'll get some more on our way back."

She scooted off his lap. "I don't know. I think this booth is dangerous. We should probably just use our phones."

They exited the booth and were indeed met with this island's version of a line...of three people. Kurosaki scooped up the photos and trotted after a quick moving Teru. "Hey, wait up! Man, you're fast for someone in essentially a tight skirt." He caught her by the arm and brought her to a stop. "You okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine," she said from behind the mask of the goddess of happiness. He knew she hated that kind of public scene. He felt safe smiling behind the mask. If she knew how much he enjoyed her discomfiture she'd probably kick him.

"Good." He dragged he to a large tree stump that was out of sight from the festival, but still had access to the lantern light. "Let's look at the pictures." He handed her one of the strips.

Teru kept her eyes closed for a moment, afraid of what she would see, then she opened one eye to peek and let out a sigh of relief. It was the first set they'd taken, in all it's glaring normalcy. He was handsome. She loved it.

She looked over at Kurosaki and found his masked face staring at the print in his hand. "Um, how's that one?" He didn't respond so she scooted closer to him. "Can...can I see it?" She was certain she looked young and gauche, but she wanted to see him in the picture.

He wordlessly handed it over.

Like before, she closed her eyes, took a breath, and then opened them. Her breath immediately caught. This wasn't some sordid exhibition, as she'd feared. Instead, the first picture showed them looking at each other at close range, oblivious to the camera. And what she saw on both their faces was a sort of awe.

And thankfulness.

And love.

Even as he'd kissed her face, his was reverent while hers was soft and open. The last picture didn't show their clutch at the end, but instead, caught the very moment before their lips met. Their eyes were closed, and both their faces reflected the breathless longing that the other felt.

Her eyes filled and she thanked god for the mask that still covered her own face. She handed it back to him and scooted over until she could lay her head on his shoulder. "Do you think we can get copies?"

He gave a laugh that sounded suspiciously wet to her before he put his arm around her shoulder and held her close. "Hell with that. I'm blowing this sucker up into a mural."

She swatted his arm. "Don't you dare," she sniffed. "A poster size will do just fine."

"Yes, ma'am."


	12. Chapter 12

They took off their masks and put the pictures into her purse. Then they sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the moment and each other. Eventually Kurosaki looked at the shrine gate a few meters away, the arched red structure towering as tall as the surrounding trees.

"Do you hear that?"

Teru tilted her head. "I can hear music. Not just the drums."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead then stood up, pulling her up with him. "That probably means something's about to start. Let's go see."

They walked through the gate and were immediately presented with a tall stone staircase that was carved directly into the mountain, the top of the stairs lost to the trees. Endless years of worshipers had worn shiny depressions into the stairs, a silent testament to the age of the shrine.

They climbed the stairs, Teru lifting her hem with one hand so she wouldn't trip. Teenagers in plain clothes and yukatas sat on the stairs here and ther talking with friends. Children ran ahead of them, their parents yelling for them to slow down, while they passed an old man with a cane who took each step with excruciating care and slowness. Teru was out of breath by the time they neared the top, while Kurosaki was disgustingly unfazed.

"It's not fair," she wheezed. "You eat crap most of the time. You smoke a pack a day!"

He shrugged and patted his flat stomach. "Being a janitor keeps me fit, I guess."

"I've seen you work. I don't buy it."

He was still teasing her about her fitness when they got to the top, the another red gate arching above the top step.

"Oh!"

Kurosaki looked up at Teru's soft exclamation. It seems the whole village was wandering around the shrine grounds, but he knew what had Teru transfixed was the shrine building.

Set in the middle of the grounds, the shrine was small and old, but obviously well-tended. A tall, sloping wooden roof came down nearly to the ground, while the building itself was painted white and red. A small, slatted collection box sat in front a small staircase that led up to the shrine doors. The doors were open wide, haraegushi, the white zig-zagged purification streamers hung over the entryway where the divine palanquin sat. As they watched, the shrine attendants picked up the palanquin and carried it off, indicating that the deity had moved into the shrine proper.

There were no naked statues, but through the doors of the shrine they could see a statue of a bald male figure with a tattoo on his chest. At first Teru thought it was Buddha or a bhodisatvah, but it didn't quite look like any she'd seen.

Red cord as tied to every finger and toe of the figure. In fact, looking around, Teru realized that the stuff was everywhere. It hung from the buildings, the streamers, even from the roof of the omairi where people washed their hands before approaching the shrine. In one corner of the grounds, it served a see-through curtain for the stage structure where traditional musicians and drummers were drawing a crowd.

Kurosaki tugged her over to the omairi before heading towards the stage. They stood there holding hands and talking about the buildings and the food stalls until the music suddenly stopped and the head priest came onto the stage.

He put his hands together in prayer. "Tonight we thank Gekka-O for his amazing gift to mankind. His spirit is here with us and will bless us through the kagura."

"A kagura is a holy dance," Teru whispered to him.

Kurosaki rolled his eyes and pulled her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her so and drawing her back to rest against him. "Uh huh."

"All you couples, all you lonely ones, thank him or beseech him for his blessing tonight."

They looked at each other and mouthed the words, "couples?".

The stage lit up as the priest left and through the curtain a tall, masked figure emerged. Clad in an opulent robe and a long flowing wig made up of the same red cord they'd seen everywhere, the representation of Gekka-O moved to center stage and held up his suza miss, a wand of bells and streamers, and waited for the music.

It was amazing, Kurosaki thought, how the entire crowd could go quiet so fast. Even those that were on other parts of the grounds and not near the stage had stopped talking, pausing what they were doing to turn towards the stage in silent attention. He also noticed how all of the couples, young and old, all at once held hands.

A lone flute and a drum struck up a tune.

Teru had never seen a traditional dance in person. The figure glided across the stage, dipping, twirling, and even jumping at times, punctuating the movements with his bells. The instrument blended perfectly with the two others, making the music both happy and reverential.

Kurosaki felt Teru stroke his sleeve and looked down just as she rubbed her cheek against his arm. He closed his eyes for a second and thanked the gods for his luck then hugged her just a little closer.

Gekka-O twirled one last time and kneeled with a flourish, bells raised with one last flourish. All music but the drums died away and a man and a woman, also wearing masks, emerged from the curtains to stand on either side of the god. Gekka-O, still kneeling, pulled one of the red cords from the wig and tied one end around the man's ankle, then the woman's. The drums got faster, he then stood and took each of their hands and brought them together until the couple were holding hands. Gekka-O let go and clapped his hands and the drums stopped. The lights on stage went out a moment later and the faint jingle of bells could be heard as the kagura came to an end.

The crowd was silent for a moment and then erupted into applause.

Kurosaki looked around. "Is that really the appropriate response for a holy ceremony?" He whispered to her. He then noticed that she was blushing and tense in his arms. "Hey! What's up?"

"Ah, I think I know what kind of god Gekka-O is."

"Yeah?" He turned her around in his arms to he could see her face, keeping her close as the crowd began to disperse. "What kind?"

She snuck a peek at his face. "You're sure you didn't know anything about this shrine?"

"Yeah. Why?" He winced. "Oh god, that wasn't some sort of fake sacrificial reenactment was it? With the cord around the ankle thing?"

She gave a delicate little snort. "No."

"Slavery?"

She swatted his chest. "No! Listen, have you ever heard of the red cord of fate?"

He scrunched up his face as he thought about it for a second. "Is it that thing around the finger that you see in shoujo manga all the time? Not that I've read any, of course," he quickly stated. "But as the janitor, I've cleaned up after more than one teenage girl who's left a copy behind."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, it's the thing around the finger. The god of fate, love, and marriage ties a red string around two people who are fated to be together."

"But this one did it around their ankles."

"Right," she said excitedly. "But the actual legend goes that the string was tied around the ankle, not their fingers. I never knew the name, but I think that's who this is!"

He raised a finger. "So you're telling me that the first shrine festival I ever bring us to is for a god of love?"

"Don't forget marriage, fate, sex, and fertility," an old voice said from beside them.

They looked over, then down, to find a tiny, frail old woman with a cane. She poked Kurosaki in the leg and let out a cackle. "And what other shrine do you think the two of you should be at, eh?" She used her cane to lift up the hem of their yukatas and peeked underneath.

Kurosaki reminded himself that he couldn't yell at the elderly, let alone smack canes out of the hands of old women. Teru could apparently read his mood because she reached up and smacked a hand over his mouth. "Can we help you, Grandmother?"

The old woman smiled and shook her head. "No, no. And you obviously don't need mine, either." She poked Kurosaki with her cane again and Teru kept her hand over his mouth, just in case. "Take care of her." This time she poked Teru. "And you do the same. Understand?"

They both shook their heads.

The old woman waved airy hand and turned away. "Never mind. I have actual work to do with the other idiots here tonight. Goodbye."

They watched her walk away for a moment, then Kurosaki shook off the hand that was still over his mouth. "What a random, crazy, old lady." He grinned. "I like her."

"Of course you do," she laughed, looping her arms around his waist. "I bet you can't until you're a grumpy old man and you can make semi-rude, cryptic remarks to young folks."

"Please, I don't have to wait until I'm old to enjoy doing that."

"Don't I know it." She rested her head against his chest. "Um, I just want to say that I like the fact that the first shrine festival were ever at is one for a god of love."

He kissed the top of her head, avoiding the hair sticks. "Don't forget the other things unless you want that old lady back." He smoothed a hair off her forehead as she laughed. "I'm glad too, you know. Can we pretend I did it on purpose so I can get extra boyfriend points?"

She leaned back to look up at him with a raised an eyebrow. "If I say yes do I get extra girlfriend points?"

"Ehhhh," he shrugged, then jumped as she dug a knuckle into his ribs. "I mean, what points?" He put his arm around her shoulders and steered them towards the shrine where the clink of coins and the ring of the prayer bell took over as the music for the grounds. They got in line. "Besides, if there were points, I'm already light years ahead because I said it first."

Teru gasped and he grabbed her hand before she could poke him again. "You did not say it first!"

"The hell I didn't." He said easily. "Were we even on the same Ferris wheel ride?"

Teru blushed at the memory, but held firm. "I told you, Daisy, that I loved you, Kurosaki waaay before that ever happened."

He gaped at her. "That does not count! You didn't even know I was the one and the same when you did that!"

"I suspected, though. And I found the music box not long after that, so then I knew that you knew. Plus, everybody already knew that I loved you."

He shook his head and patted hers. "Doesn't count. Glory and credit goes to the one who actually says it to the other person's face. Third person confessions are null and void." He held up a hand and ticked off points. "Romantic venue. Check. Said 'I love you, Teru'. Check. Kissed you. Check. Plus, you cried happy tears. Bonus check."

Teru smiled. She didn't mind losing this one. She also had a feeling that all of her friends would back him up on this particular point. "Alright, alright. You win that one, but I still said it third/second person first, so you are not light years ahead." She looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile. "Just slightly ahead."

"And don't you forget it."

It was soon their turn at the long wooden offering box. Kurosaki offered her a coin, but she dug one out of her reticule. "It's okay. I want to do one for myself."

He gave her a look, then shrugged. "Okay. On 'three'. One, two, three."

They threw the coins through the slats, rang the ancient bell that hung beside the box, then clapped their hands twice, bowing as they closed their eyes in prayer.

Teru straightened and opened her eyes before Kurosaki and stood watching him for a few seconds. He looked serious, his eyebrows drawn together as he silently said his piece to Gekka-O. He finally straightened up, taking her hand and moving aside as someone from the line behind them coughed delicately to get them moving.

"So, what did you ask for?" Kurosaki asked.

"I can't tell you that! And who says I asked for anything?"

"Oh, come on. It's not like it won't come true if you don't say it out loud." He smirked at the flush that was slowly moving into her cheeks. "Unless, you can't say it out loud, you know, 'cause there are kids around."

"Speak for yourself, you big perv," she pushed him away with a laugh.

"Actually," he drawled, "there was one thing I was looking forward to this spring when I can finally put my hands on...mrphfph," he finished with the small hand suddenly over his mouth.

"Kurosaki don't you dare!" Teru squeaked.

He removed her hand, kissing the palm before he smirked at her again. "How do you know what I was going to say? Maybe there's a new video game out this spring that I've been wanting to get my hands on."

"I went with the odds," she told him teasingly. "And, um, I just thanked him, actually. You know." He eyes dropped bashfully. "For you."

Kurosaki's fists clenched for a moment, theN he took a breath. He knew how Teru felt about PDA, but she was going to have to get over it at this particular moment.

"Eeep!" Teru squeaked as Kurosaki suddenly picked her up. He was careful of her obi, picking her up low on the waist, but as a result she was suddenly slightly taller than him. She looked down at his face, his features softened in that look he only gave her. "Kurosaki?"

"I did the same thing," he told her. "I thanked him for you, too." He paused. "And I may have asked for some things...you know, for later on." He smiled at her eye roll. "Kiss me."

She looked around them, scandalized. "Here?" She whispered.

They had walked around the shrine to the back and we're now, temporarily at least, alone. "Yup. Kiss me, Teru."

She gave him a quick peck and jerked back up, wiggling a little to see if he'd let her go.

He held her tighter and shook his head. "Nope. Try again."

"Okay, okay. Give me a second." Teru took a breath and closed her eyes, just so she wouldn't know whether or not people were watching.

This was one of the things she had prayed about. She was always so nervous with Kurosaki during moments like this. She wanted to feel more confident. She also wanted him to enjoy it too and not have to treat his girlfriend like a skittish horse all the time. She asked for Gekka-O's aid one more time, and bent her head.

Kurosaki smiled as she leaned down, her eyes still closed. He turned his head slightly to make sure she didn't miss, then closed his own eyes to enjoy himself.

Oh, God. Kurosaki locked his knees as the hand she'd cupped along his jaw slid back and feathered along his ear. At the same time, she pressed her lips to his, once, twice, then she opened her mouth and made a tentative line along his lips with her tongue.

That was it.

Kurosaki took a few steps backwards until his back hit the back wall of the shrine. When he was sure he wouldn't drop her or fall down he opened his mouth slightly and let her drive him nuts.

Teru had waited for him to take the lead in the kiss when his lips parted, but he didn't. Knowing he was letting her take the lead emboldened her. She turned her head to the side and fit her mouth carefully over his. First, she tasted his lips once more. Next, she flicked a tongue over his teeth before reaching deeper, seeking his tongue. He was playing with her, she thought hazily. He'd flick his tongue over hers, brush by it or keep his own back until she found that she was opening her mouth wider, reaching deeper, until she coaxed his own into the full contact that she craved.

She could hear herself, the panting breaths she took when they parted for a moment before they came together again. She could also hear, and feel, what she was doing to Kurosaki and that kept her coming back for more and more. He still let her take the lead, but his arms were so tight around her she couldn't move (not that she wanted to). His breaths sounded much like hers. But she found that he liked it when she rubbed the roof of his mouth with the tip of her tongue. She also realized that stroking his ears, even accidentally (and then not accidentally) made his whole body shiver and his arms clench around her. She was concentrating so much on him and his reactions that she forgot to be self-conscious and instead just enjoyed herself. And him.

Kurosaki had a thought through the pure fog that was his brain that they'd have to stop soon. For some reason.

But Teru had never kissed him like this. In fact, she was usually pretty passive, her obvious nervousness stopping him long before they could get to these long, drugging kisses that he'd craved. The few times they'd gotten close she'd become overwhelmed and he'd had to reign himself in. Having her hands clenched in his hair, her mouth slowly explore his, feeling her hot breath as she broke their kiss to breath or change angles, was better than he'd ever imagined.

And he's imagined plenty these past couple of months.

He forgot himself for a moment and sucked her tongue into his mouth and biting down lightly. The moan that came from deep in her throat had him breaking the kiss and setting her abruptly back on her feet.

They both swayed, panting, and held on to each other for balance. Kurosaki then turned, pulling Teru until she had her back against the shrine wall. He put a hand on either side of her, bending a bit at the waist so that his yukata would hide his 'problem' while he got himself together. He looked at her, then closed his eyes at her drowsy-looking shining eyes, puffy lips, and softened features.

"Holy shit," he whispered. "Where'd you learn that?"

Don't be too shy, she reminded herself, though she wanted to hide in her oversized sleeves from nerves that had come whooshing back once he'd set her down. "I just kissed you the way you kiss me sometimes. Is that okay?"

Her heart about stopped when he dropped his head as though in defeat. Maybe she hadn't read him right. Maybe he hadn't enjoyed it like she had. Maybe...

He rubbed a hand over his face then stood up, taking a deep breath. "Oh, yeah. That's more than okay." Teru sighed in relief, but lost her breath the next moment at the look he gave her. "Hey Teru?"

"Yeah?"

"It's probably a good idea if you only kiss me like that in private."

She turned beet red. "And whose idea was it that I kiss you?!"

He ran both his hands through his hair, making it stand on nearly end. "Oh, don't worry. I'm totally taking credit for that little interlude. Now wait here for a second."

She watched, confused, as he ran over to a group of teenage boys. Kurosaki stood nearly a foot taller than any of them, and as she watched, he stood to to toe with one of them, pointing and obviously threatening until the frightened boy handed over phone. Kurosaki keyed something into the phone, looked at his own, then handed the phone back to the teenager with a few more obvious threats.

Teru's foot was tapping in annoyance by the time Kurosaki came back over. "Did they do what I think they did?"

"What? Did they take a couple of pictures and a short video of one of the best moments of my life?" He pulled out his smartphone and smiled at it. "Then yes."

"Those jerks!"

Kurosaki grabbed her before she could stomp off after the group that had already run away. "It's okay! I took it off their phones...after I sent it to mine. I also threatened them with my fake Tokyo gang that's supposedly staying on the island." He waggled his phone at her. "Do you wanna see?"

Teru dropped her face into her hands. "No!"

"Are you suuuuure?" He practically sang, hanging the phone above her head like mistletoe.

"Yes, I'm sure!" She swatted at the phone. "At least wait until I'm not dying of embarrassment!"

"Oh, so you do want to see it."

Teru smoothed the skirt of her yukata and picked up her reticule from where it had fallen on the ground. Her solemn 'go bald, Kurosaki' did nothing but make him laugh.

Next up, the shrine oracle and fireworks! Please take a moment if you're enjoying this to write a review. I love those things. Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13

They came out from behind the shrine and found that the crowds had gotten even bigger as more and more people climbed he stairs to the shrine. It was full dark at this point, but the shrine area had so many lanterns and torches that it was nearly as light as day.

"We should go back down the stairs if we want a good view of the fireworks," Kurosaki told her.

"Or I could tell you where to find the best view," said a deep voice behind them.

They looked over and found the old man with the cane who had been laboriously climbing the stairs sitting outside one of huts that dotted the shrine grounds.

He looked much too small to have that deep a voice, but after drawing on his pipe he pointed to the rear shrine grounds and told them, "Back by the well you'll find an elm tree. There isn't a trail for a few meters, but then you'll find one that leads to a little hill that sticks out just right." He blew a smoke ring in the air with an ease and skill that Kurosaki admired. "Best view for fire works, if you ask me."

"Well, we didn't so..."

Teru stepped on Kurosaki's foot. "Thank you, Grandfather. It's a popular spot, I take it?"

He took a wheezing deep breath and appeared to ponder the question for a moment. "Nope. Only a few locals know it, but most prefer other spots." He tapped his pipe out against his shoe and smiled. "Me and the Mrs. used to go there every year, but our old bones can't take the climb anymore. It's someone else's turn now, and it might as well be you two."

Kurosaki and Teru looked at each other. Kurosaki shrugged his acceptance so Teru turned to the old man. "Thank you, Grandfather. Enjoy the rest of the festival."

He nodded at the pair and watched them walk away a few steps before stopping to argue about whether or not to go back down the stairs to load up on more food before heading to the hill.

His wife of 68 years came out of the building he was sitting against. "Well? Did ya get it?" she asked.

He handed the small, wrinkled old woman the bag of cotton candy he'd brought back from the stalls and all the way those accursed stairs. "Of course I did."

She looked over at the young woman sitting on a bench to wait (with her mask on) while her man ran down the stairs to get their food. She nudged her husband. "Look familiar?"

"Hmpf. You notice that she's keeping her mask on so all the boys don't come sniffing around while he's gettin' a snack."

She rolled her eyes at the old argument. "The shrine oracle is not allowed to wear those masks and you know it. Just like a priest," she poked him, "isn't allowed to punch out the worshipers."

"Worshiper my ass," he groused and crossed his arms. "He was there to hit on girls and you know it."

"Of course I knew. I'm the oracle!" She poked him in the leg much she had Kurosaki. "Hey. Did you see it?"

"Don't poke me, woman." He took her wrinkled old hand with his gnarled one. "Hard to miss it, you ask me. Their's is the brightest, thickest one here tonight."

"You mean, besides ours." They looked down at their worn old limbs, but the red cord that bound them was still just as shiny and fresh as the day they'd met.

She had been one of the villagers down below when one day she could see the cord on her ankle. She followed it up the stairs and as soon as she'd stepped in the grounds she could see cords around everyone's feet. In that moment she had become the new takusen, or oracle, destined to help lead those to the people at the end of their cord. It'd just turned out that hers had led directly to the new priest who had the same sight. In all their years at the shrine, they were the only ones they knew of that could see Gekka-O's red string.

"We should tell them about the hill we used to sneak away to so they can see the fireworks," she said.

"What kind of oracle are you," he teased. "I already did all that."

"I'm kind that can tell you what will happen to you if you don't get my sign put out!" She poked his chair. "What kind of festival is it if the oracle doesn't dole out some love advice, eh?"

"Alright, alright," he grumbled as she went back inside. He smiled to himself as Kurosaki came bounding up the stairs with food and drink. They'll be just fine, he thought, watching as their cord got brighter and shorter the nearer the couple got. It shone in such a way that meant several of the dead (probably family members) had also blessed Gekka-O's decision.

Lucky bastards, he thought affectionately as he went inside to get the sign.


	14. Chapter 14

"That old bastard," Kurosaki groused as he balanced the food in one hand and helped Teru over a branch with the other. "Trail my ass."

Teru huffed out a breath and held her phone out once again to light their way. "That's not fair, Kurosaki. There is a trail here, after all. Sort of."

"What's with the old people here anyway? Old ladies poking me with canes. Old men sending us off into the wilderness to die." He gripped her hand a little tighter. "Maybe they really hate tourists and they kill off a few every year to discourage more from coming."

Teru patted his arm. "You'd have read about it on the Internet if that were the case. I'm sure it's close. Don't be so paranoid."

Suddenly they heard the drums start up once again through the trees.

"Maybe this is where they send a pack of rabid dogs out to hunt us down."

Teru rolled her eyes and pulled him along. "Will you shut up? We haven't been walking that...oh, my god."

The walked around a massive tree and came to an abrupt stop as the trail ended in a grassy knoll filled with flowers. The small, gently sloping mound of earth stuck out from the mountain, a stark contrast between the rocky outcrops and the stepped rice paddies they could see surrounding them.

"How come we couldn't see this before," she asked.

He didn't ask why she was whispering. It felt they had stumbled upon someone's secret spot. Which, based off of the old man's description, they had. "The trees below block the view from the shrine," he noted. He pointed to the town below which they could barely make out through the trees. "And someone would have to be on a rooftop to view this from town."

They spread out a paper tablecloth that Kurosaki had snagged from one of the vendors and sat down to eat.

Once Teru figured out how to (modestly) sit on the ground in her yukata, Kurosaki handed her her food. She nibbled on her karaage, or fried chicken on a stick, and looked up at the cloudless sky. "Do you really think we'll be able to see the fireworks?"

As soon as she said it, the drumming stopped and the first rocket fired through the air. It exploded in a cascading sunburst of color directly in front of them as though they were watching it dead center on the biggest screen on earth.

"Oh wow!" Kurosaki laughed and deliberately set aside one of the fish-shaped taiyakis. "Okay, we owe the old man. I'll give him one of these when we go back down."

They finished their food, oohing and aawing as the fireworks steadily got more elaborate. Kurosaki ended up sprawled out beside her, propped up on his elbow as they enjoyed the show together.

Teru's hands itched as his hair brushed her arm. She wanted so badly to just run them through the blonde locks, to play with the strands and memorize their texture.

Why couldn't she, she thought and straightened her shoulders. It could also give her the chance to try something else she'd wanted to experience with Kurosaki.

She waited until there was a pause between fireworks. "Um, are you comfortable like that?" She nodded at his pasha-like pose.

Kurosaki shrugged and took a sip from his drink. "Sure." He looked her way when she didn't say anything else and saw her clenching her fists in a way that meant she was gearing herself up for something. He smirked and poked her in the arm. "Whyyyyy?"

She smoothed her skirt without looking at him. "I was just thinking that if you were uncomfortable you could, um, lie down. If you wanted to, that is."

He'd never admit out loud to another person, but sometimes his heart just fluttered around her. There was no other word for that feeling in his chest as he watched her tentatively spread her wings with him...even if she did blush other the effort. "Hmm," he drawled. "That's a good idea."

Teru felt like smacking her forehead (and his) as he flopped onto his back beside her with his hands behind his head.

Rena would have known how to do this.

She took a breath and tried again. "Kurosaki, have you ever heard of a lap-pillow?" She asked casually.

He pursed his brows as though in thought and tried not to snicker. "I'm not sure. What is it?"

"Well, sometimes you'll see couples sitting around at school and if one of them wants to lie down, they might put their head in the other person's lap. Like a pillow," she finished lamely.

"I see. I think have seen that around campus." It was a good thing she wasn't looking at him, he thought, or he couldn't have strung it out this long. He decided to take pity on her. Sort of. "Now, why don't you just say, "Kurosaki, I want to play with your hair and gaze lovingly into your eyes"," he said in a falsetto voice.

He caught the purse that she swung at his face with a laugh. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry." He kissed her hand, snickering again as she jerked it back to cross her arms over her chest. "You don't have to gaze into my eyes. We're supposed to be watching fireworks, after all."

"Forget I said anything," she said with a pout. She looked away so she wouldn't laugh as Kurosaki quickly moved and laid down with his head in her lap.

"Ahhh," he sighed in exaggerated bliss. "Girls make the best pillows."

She giggled despite herself and pushed his face away. "Shut up you pervert."

More fireworks came and went. Kurosaki pointed out the shapes and shared what he knew about how the colors were mixed and the shapes were made. He kept his gaze on the sky, just in case looking at her made her stop what she was doing. Because what she was doing felt freaking amazing.

As soon as Kurosaki had focused on the sky she had casually run a hand over the ends of his hair, glancing at his face to see if he'd noticed or if he minded. When he showed no reaction she got bolder and bolder until she was running her fingers from roots to end, lost in the feel of the silk against her skin.

He closed his eyes at one point so he could concentrate on not groaning. She had a gift, but no way would he suggest giving up psychology for massage school. This magic was all his.

She delicately over one eyebrow, then the other. "Kurosaki?" She said softly.

He opened his eyes as she ran a single finger gently down the lines of his face. "Yeah?"

One hand continued combing through his hair as the other traced his bottom lip. "I think the fireworks have ended," she whispered as she bent her head.

Sure enough, the silence around them seemed deeper due to the sudden cessation of noise. In fact, the shrine, the village, they felt like none of it existed from where they sat on their hill.

He raised a hand and curved it around the back of her neck. "Uh, huh."

He didn't pull her down, but instead just held her as she slowly closed the distance. Kurosaki closed his eyes again as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then his eyebrows, his eyes; she conducted a study of his face with her lips that had him sighing her name into the dark.

The kiss she finally gave him on the lips was soft and nearly reverential. A sip of lips that lingered into a slow press of lips that had his hand slipping from her nape to cup her face. They parted with a soft sigh, pulling back just far enough to look at each other and smile.

Teru pressed one last kiss to his forehead and sat up. She nearly laughed when she realized that she had indeed gazed lovingly into his eyes. "Ah, do you think the festival is over?"

He picked up her hand and played with her fingers, holding on jealously to the floaty feeling she'd induced.

Best. Lap pillow. Ever.

"Technically. I guess."

She watched the cloud of smoke the firecrackers had left dissipate in the mountain air. "You know," she began, using her free hand to trace the edge of his ears and smiling when he put a hand over hers to stop her. He must be ticklish. "You may have shot yourself in the foot tonight."

Know that he could think again after she'd messed with his weak spot, he frowned as mentally reviewed the evening. "How so?"

"I guess I mean that it's pretty dangerous to give me the best date I'll ever have so early in our relationship," she shrugged.

He brought her hand to his mouth and nibbled at her fingers and her palm until she was giggling and trying to yank it away. "You don't know what the future holds, woman." He admonished her. "I have yet to show you the best of my dating repertoire. You never know what I'll do," for you and to you, he finished in his head, thinking of the (grown up) years they had before them.

His innocent Teru just clucked her tongue. "We'll see. All I can say now is 'good luck', because right now it seems like nothing will beat this evening." She smiled at him as he sat up off of her lap. "It was perfect. Thank you for tonight, Kurosaki."

He leaned forward and kissed her. Careful not to linger to long or kiss her deeply while they were alone. At night. By themselves. Alone, he thought again. He gave his head a mental shake and pulled back, reaching out to pick up the trash from their fair food. "You're welcome. Ah, we should probably get down there before they start turning off all of those lanterns. We don't want to go down that staircase in the dark."

"Good call."

They packed up and went back through the woods. Maybe it was because they'd reestablished the dinky footpath, but the trip back seemed much less arduous. They emerged onto the temple grounds and found that despite the hour, and despite the end of fireworks being the traditional end to a festival, things were still going strong.

They left the taiyaki for the old man on the chair where they'd last seen him; his cane and pipe there as evidence he'd be back.

"What if some kids take it? She asked.

He shrugged. "Then hopefully he'll whack 'em with that cane of his."

"That's not nice."

He shrugged again. "Eh."

They held hands as they climbed down the staircase. Teru paused as they got to the bottom step, and therefor the last shrine gate. She turned around one last time and pulled her hand free from his, clapping them together as she closed her eyes, thanking Gekka-O for both Kurosaki and a wonderful evening.

Kurosaki did the same (in his head) and finished with a nod towards the ancient shrine. He took her hand once more when she turned around. "Ready to beat the traffic?"

"What traffic? They all live here!"

"Okay. Let me put it this way: ready to get back to our friends and have them mercilessly grill you about the evening?"

She sniffed. "That's your friends. Mine will delicately allude to the evening while patiently waiting for details that may or may not be forthcoming."

"Princess," he chucked her under the chin. "You're adorable when you're clueless."


	15. Chapter 15

They made their way back through the fair and then the town streets to get back to the car. Teru made noises about changing back into her dress, but trailed off at Kurosaki's snicker, realizing that there was no place to change. So they stayed in their yukatas for the drive back to the resort, even though Kurosaki had pointed out that he could change back into his suit pants (at least) without removing his robe. Being a guy, he'd boasted, he didn't even have to put a shirt on.

He had been firmly overruled by a blushing Teru.

He pulled up to the entrance of the resort and got out of the car. Adjusting his yukata, he ignored the deliberately straight face of the valet and retrieved the bags with their original outfits. He came around the side as one of the door staff helped Teru out of the car.

Taking her hand deliberately out of the grip of the attendant, he asked, "Did you get everything?" And glared at the man until he muttered 'good evening' and skittered back to his post. Damn poachers.

"Yup." Teru tried to take the bag with her dress from him, but drew her arm back at his growl. She smiled at him and took his arm instead. "What time do we leave for home tomorrow? I don't think Riko told me."

He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. "Let's see, our plane leaves at 7am and we should be there an hour before that, sooo ...in about four hours."

"What?" She yelled, immediately covering her mouth as the few people in the lobby turned to stare. She pulled at his arm and hurried to the elevators. "Oh my god! I haven't packed. I haven't done anything! had no idea it was so late!"

He smiled as she went to town on the button for their floor. "Riko's already packed your things," he told her as the elevator began to move. "I wasn't going to tell any of them what we were doing tonight, but I needed her to grab a pair of your shoes for your costume change. She said to tell she'd take care of it that you were to relax and enjoy yourself."

She blew out a relieved breath, then shook her finger at him. "But you didn't tell me until now!"

"So? It didn't come up until now." The elevator dinged as it reached their floor, but he reached out and hit the 'close' button. He clicked the button for the top floor then took a slow, deliberate step towards her. He felt a deep satisfaction when she she blushed and took a step back, bumping into the elevator wall.

He swung the garment bags over one shoulder, holding onto the hangers with one finger while he put his hand on the wall beside her head. He leaned forward until she was effectively caged and lowered his head to her ear. "It's actually your fault," he purred.

Oh god. She was going to fall down. His voice had dropped in timber, going deeper and slower until she swore she could feel the rumble of it in her chest. "W-what do you mean?"

"I saw you there in the lobby in your little black dress, looking like every man's dream, and since then," His breath whispered over her ear and neck as he spoke, making her eyes close and her whole body shiver. "I haven't thought of anything but you all night," he confessed, and dropped an open-mouthed kiss on the long line of her neck.

She grabbed the edges of his yukata as her knees all but buckled.

He took his time, having realized that they would only truly be alone for a few more minutes before their relationship fell back under the congenial (if protective) scrutiny of their friends. Once they got home they'd have to be discreet once again; hiding their relationship from neighbors and the school. That meant these were the last few moments, on this island where no one knew them and no one was looking, that he could kiss her where and when he liked.

And he liked her neck. She'd said she wasn't wearing any perfume, but the scent of her still made him feel drunk. He lapped at the spot where her neck and shoulder met and felt her pulse jump against his tongue. He lightly bit the same spot and grinned wickedly when she gave a little whimper. "When do you back to school?"

He was still talking? Why was he still talking!? She unconsciously tilted her head so he could address the other side."What? I...I don't kno...um, the week after next." she panted. "I think. I don't care."

Her broken and breathy voice made him feel like a god. He ran small, biting kisses up her neck until he was next to her ear. "I just wanted to know so that if I happened to leave a mark right...here," he brushed his lightly stubbled chin against the ultra sensitive spot beneath her ear, making her gasp, "It'd have time to fade before you went back to class." He smiled against her skin. "Though I like idea of branding you where everyone can see."

Teru had quickly realized that this was quite a bit different from just kissing. She went fuzzy headed right away when they kissed, but she was an active participant. This...he wasn't touching her anywhere else. He didn't hold her (though she had a death grip on the edges of his robe) and he didn't press against her or hold her as he sometimes did. Instead, she could only concentrate on the sensation of his lips on her skin and the way his breath would leave a damp heat that caused bumps to race across her skin.

His words and the rough brush of his stubble against her made her gasp. But when he made good on his threat and put his mouth on her, kissing and then drawing on the flesh with an erotic suction, she couldn't help but cry out, her whole frame trembling as her mind tried to make sense of the maddening sensation.

Kurosaki was trembling nearly as hard by the time he stopped. He lifted his head and pressed it to the wall for a second as he tried to regain his equilibrium. After a moment, ...or three, he stood up pressed their floor number before removing her hands that were still clenched on his yukata.

She looked dazed, he thought, but the devil on his shoulder poked him and corrected his terminology. She looked...aroused. Her face looked soft, the pupils of her eyes were huge, and she still stood immobile, trembling a little as she raised a hand to her trembling throat. He stopped her, pulling it away so he could inspect his handiwork.

Teru looked up at his face and saw pride, possessiveness, aaaand the slight wince. "What's wrong?" She sighed, not really caring at this moment.

"Ah, nothing." He brushed a fingertip over the stubble burn he'd inadvertently left, as well as the larger-than-intended-but-still-intended hickey she now sported. "Just admiring my work.

She swatted his hand away when what she really wanted to do was grab him by the hair and kiss him again. She smoothed down her yukata and tried to control her breathing. It was a little hard given how close he still stood. "Um, you know, it feels like we've kissed more these three days than all the months we've been going out," she noted shyly.

He stepped back and took her hand as their floor got closer. "Well, duh."

The elevator doors opened, but Teru just stood there. "Huh?"

Kurosaki tugged her through before the doors could close and grinned at her confused expression. "At home we have to be careful, right, because we never know who's watching. I can't kiss you like I want to when we're in a public place or at school. In our apartments...," he gave her a look that had her gulping. "Let's just say that I'm very aware of the markers that we've set for now and that I'm also aware of my own limits."

She gulped again. "And here?"

"Here, nobody's looking. Our friends support us." They got to the room she shared with Riko and stood there, holding hands. He smiled at her, a tender, loving smile that told of his joy. "Here, I'm just on vacation with my girlfriend."

The thought that this weekend could be their 'normal' in just a few short months made her want to cry with happiness. "You forgot 'and company'."

He deliberately looked up and down the hallway. "What company? Like I said, here, we're a perfectly normal couple. Now," he set the garment bags on the floor and pulled her forward, drawing her arms up until they circled around his neck. "I'm going to do what normal boyfriends do at the end of a date." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up until she was nearly on her toes. "I'm going to kiss my girlfriend goodnight."

This last kiss of the evening was sweet and nearly poignant as their lips said their thanks, told of their longing, and spoke of their love.

Kurosaki raised his head with a blissful sigh and gave her a heartfelt, yet simple, hug. "I love you, Teru."

She hugged him back. "I love you, too Kurosaki."

He let her go reluctantly and held a hand out for her keycard. "I'll see you in the morning," he whispered (for Riko's sake) as he held the door for her, handing her her dress.

Teru stood for a few more seconds staring at Kurosaki then reminded herself that they had a plane to catch in a few hours. "Goodnight." And closed the door behind her.

* * *

Akira poked his head over the seat backs in front of him on the plane. "Hey, did you see what time Kurosaki got back?" He whispered conspiratorially to Andy and Riko. "And Kurosaki was wearing a robe! It's like he came straight from a love hotel and didn't even bother to change."

Riko turned around in her seat and put a deliberate and vaguely threatening hand over Akira's mouth. "Now you listen to me," said calmly. "They went to a local festival last night. One wears yukatas, not robes, yukatas to a summer festival. They stayed for the fireworks, mainly because I told him that only lame-ass dates leave before the fireworks. That's why they came back so late." She lifted her hand from his mouth. "Do you understand?"

The way she asked that made all the hairs on his arm stand up in alarm. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." She turned back around and crossed her legs in a way that should have been impossible in these tiny plane seats.

"Um," Akira looked across the plane aisle and a few rows back at the couple in question. "I guess that explains why they conked out as soon as we took off, huh?"

The rest of the party peeked back. Kurosaki and Teru were indeed out. They sat side by side in cramped seats that were way too small for Kurosaki's legs. Teru was resting against his shoulder while Kurosaki's had tipped sideways until his cheek rested on top of her head.

And they were holding hands.

Akira shook his head as all the adults sighed and sat back in their seats. "You guys are so weird."

Boss tugged him back into his seat. "Just ignore us." He handed him a magazine. "And them, if you know what's good for you."

People were always so weird about this lovey-dovey crap, he thought. "Fine, but if they went to a festival they better have brought me something back."

Riko whipped around so fast that he dropped the magazine. He held up his hands at her glare. "Just kidding!"

Riko narrowed her eyes to let him know she meant business then turned back around sank back into her chair with a smile. She hadn't waited up after packing last night, but she had woken up at the click of the door as Teru came back. She'd heard their light exchange as they said goodnight. With the light in the hallway she'd seen Teru's new yukata (for which she'd given Kurosaki full points). She'd also seen the lip-stung lips and the hickey.

She thought of Souichirou and how he would have grilled Kurosaki about their evening. Hell, he probably would have demanded they go on a double date. She flipped through her own magazine with a smile. She couldn't wait to ask Teru about it when they got back.

\- Read what happens next in 'Marriage Interview?'.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! This story continues in 'Marriage Interview?'. Please take a moment to review the story if you liked it (or if you didn't ;-)). I love those things.


	16. Chapter 16

"I think I know of a way you two can date openly."

Kurosaki put down the shears and turned to face slave #3, a.k.a. Rena. "What did you say?"

Rena tucked a strand of hair back under her work hat. "I said, I know of a way you and Teru can have a real relationship instead of tip-toeing around each other when you're at school or in public."

Kiyoshi put a hand on her shoulder, "Um, Rena..."

"What? Do you want to watch these two be awkward and lonely until graduation?" She asked as she brushed his hand off. "And it's only gotten worse since they got back from that resort weekend," she muttered, speaking of the trip they'd taken a few months ago.

God, he wished he had a cigarette. He and Teru didn't get to spend as much time together as they used to since they got back. She had cram school six days a week after school and the Ministry had him doing all sorts of odd jobs that had him out at odd hours. There were a lot of times he'd come home late and find her diligently studying at his coffee table. He'd eat something (usually a plate she'd prepared for him) and they'd talk and cuddle for a while before she went back to her and Riko's apartment.

Rena looked so earnest. He sat on his toolbox and took off his work gloves to pick up his can of coffee. "So? What's your idea?"

"You should do an o-miai," she said simply, speaking of a formal marriage interview, orchestrated by a professional matchmaker.

Kiyoshi rushed forward to whack Kurosaki on the back when he choked on his drink. "I told her you wouldn't want to do a marriage interview," he apologized. "I mean, you guys are already going out. And to talk of marriage already..."

Kurosaki put a hand up to stop him and wiped his mouth with the other. "How would that change anything?" He asked, curious.

"You remember Morizono," she said, speaking of her ex-fiancé. "He was 9 years my senior and I was 16 when we had the marriage interview. Nobody thought anything of it because it done officially through a second party." She waved a hand at Kurosaki. "You're only 8 years older than her and she's 17 now. It should be fine."

Kurosaki was quiet for so long that Rena picked up a shovel and tested its weight. "Of course, if you're only playing with her and don't have honorable intentions..." She gave the shovel a test swing before Kiyoshi grabbed it away from her.

"Sorry, Kurosaki," he apologized with a glare towards his girlfriend. "We know it's not our business, but it would be a way for you to have a socially acceptable reason to be together as a couple."

Both he and Rena held their breath as Kurosaki silently stood up and put his gloves back on. He picked up the shears once more and turned back to the bushes. Kiyoshi started to pull her towards the school building for their next class when Kurosaki spoke.

"Rena?" He said without turning around.

"What?" She snapped, irritated with both him and Kiyoshi.

"Text me the name of the matchmaker."

Rena sniffed, but the way she squeezed Kiyoshi's hand nearly had him yelping. "Fine," she said airily and turned to go.

"Hey guys." They turned back to Kurosaki, who still hadn't turned around. "Uh, let me talk to Teru about this before you mention it, okay?"

Rena started to argue, but Kiyoshi, who'd noticed the way the shears were trembling in his hands, put a hand over her mouth. "No problem."

They were on their way back to the classroom when Rena punched him in the arm. "Why did you say that? Why shouldn't we mention this to Teru? Apparently even he thinks it's good idea!"

He took her hand in his, for affection, but also to keep her from hitting him again. "It may be a fix for right now, but you realize, don't you, that if they do this he's basically asking her to marry him?"

"Ah. Right." She cleared her throat. "You're right. That should probably come from him." She sighed a little, then blushed as Kiyoshi brought their joined hands up so he could kiss the back of her hand.

He grinned at her. "Good job, Rena. It was a great idea."

She blushed again at his praise, but her 'of course it was', made him laugh.


	17. Chapter 17

It was close to 10 when Teru finally made it home from cram school. The apartment was dark, so Riko still wasn't home, which made her groan. That meant she'd have to cook herself something, which being tired to the bone, she reaaally didn't want to do.

She was picking up her purse to go to the 7/11 when her phone beeped with a message.

'Heard your elephant steps in the hall. Riko will be late. I have food. Come on over.'She sighed in heartfelt relief and kissed her phone. "If I didn't already love you, this would have done it."

Kurosaki jumped at the knock on his door and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. "Come in!"Teru literally bounced into the room. "Hi! I got your message." She came and stood beside him in the kitchen, leaning against him as he dished rice out of the cooker. "I am so hungry right now." She confessed, leaning her head against his arm. "You saved me a trip to the convenience store. Thanks."

He laughed as her stomach growled to back up her words. "My pleasure. Hello to you too, by the way." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "How was the cram session?" He asked, speaking of her extra classes for the university exam.

"Intense," she said around a yawn. "Like always. I'm glad the test is just two weeks away and then this craziness will end."

"Nah." He held up a spoon for her to taste the curry. "You'll just have a different craziness."

"Shut up or go bald." She gave his hair a threatening tug with one hand while the other stole the spoon from him.

They chatted about their day while they gathered the plates and brought the food over to the table. Kurosaki was obviously tense and a little nervous, but Teru decided to let it lie while they ate. It was so rare for both of them to be free at this time of night that she didn't want to interrupt this brief, peaceful interlude.

She'd wait until after dinner before she grilled him.

Kurosaki watched as Teru cleared the dishes and headed into the kitchen. He took a gulp of beer and tried to look nonchalant as she came back in to sit beside him. "So...did you talk to Rena today?"

Teru slid him a look as she picked up her tea. "I ate lunch with her at school. Why?" She poked him in the chest when he paused too long. "What happened? Were you teasing her and Kiyoshi again about dating?"

"Geez, no. Nothing happened." He rubbed the spot where her sharp little finger had drilled into his chest. "It's just that Rena had an idea." He took another sip of his beer and stared straight ahead. "About you and me."

Her whispered, 'Oh lord', had him looking over to see a brilliantly blushing Teru bury her face in her hands.

"Um, Teru..."

She raised a hand stop him, but kept the other over her face. "I can't believe this! I told her not to show you that magazine! This is so embarrassing," she finished on a whisper.

Deciding this was a short (and interesting) reprieve, even though he had no idea what she was talking about, Kurosaki asked, "Why is it embarrassing?"

"Are you kidding!" Teru threw her arms up. "Because you don't show your best friend's boyfriend sex tip articles! Even if you don't agree with the whole 'waiting' thing! God," She said tiredly, dropping her face back into her hands. "I'm going to kill her tomorrow." No wonder Kurosaki was acting all nervous tonight.

"Pffft."

Teru raised her head to find Kurosaki with his back turned to her, shoulders shaking as he tried to still his laughter. She closed her eyes in mortification as realization took hold.

"That isn't what you were talking about, was it?"

He shook his head emphatically, his back still turned.

"So you didn't talk about...magazines," she squeaked.

He turned around, wiping his eyes as he swallowed the last of his chuckles. "Ah, no. Magazines, you say?" He smiled hugely as she turned the color of the sun on the flag. "Did you think she still has them?" He teased. "These articles sound interesting. Though, I'm not sure I need any 'tips'."

He grabbed her wrist as she bolted from the couch, laughing uproariously. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry." He pulled her back down, handing her her tea when she still wouldn't look at him. "I have to tease you when you just hand it to me like that. Ah." He wiped his eyes one more time and sat quietly while she regained her composure. "That was great."

When drowning herself in her tea didn't work, Teru took some deep breaths, appreciating that Kurosaki wasn't ribbing her (or asking her about her and Rena's conversation). That reminded her. She finally looked over at Kurosaki to find him grinning at her. "So, um, you said Rena had an idea about you and me?"

That wiped the smile off of his face. Suddenly he was he one who wouldn't meet her eyes.

Kurosaki nervously rubbed his hands together. "Ah, you remember when she first told you about Morizono?"

Teru wrinkled her nose in distaste at the memory of the man. "Yeah. Her family had her attend a marriage interview which is where she met him." She gasped and grabbed his arm. "Are her parents making attend another one of those? What about Kiyoshi? Oh my god," she all but bounced up and down. "Does she have a marriage interview Kiyoshi!?"

"Will you calm down?" Kurosaki rolled his eyes and took her hand before she could reach for her phone. "This isn't about them. It's about us."

He winced when she went completely still. He had meant to segue into it more smoothly than this. He kept a hold of her hand as she stared at him with huge eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Um, so anyway, Rena knows all about how careful we are at school amd out in public, and how we haven't gotten to spend much time together lately." He fiddled with her fingers and kept going. "She suggested that we could do an official o-miai," speaking of the marriage interview, "and that that would get rid of the social stigma about our ages, allow us to be lovey-dovey at school (kind of), and have some built in time together." He raised a hand and gently pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "What do you think?"

Teru opened and closed her mouth a few times before any words would emerge. "You want to attend an official marriage interview so we can date?"

Kurosaki held up a clarifying finger. "So I can date you. Now." He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "And so I can kiss you at school."

This time she rolled her eyes, despite the fact that she couldn't seem to breath. "Are you catching flack from the Ministry?" She asked, her voice raising I pitch as she went on. "You want to do this as an act so people won't talk about us and you won't have to worry about losing your job?"

"No," he said simply, his voice cracking a little at the end. "I want to do this so I can marry you."

They stared at each other for what felt like several long minutes. Kurosaki watched her nervously and had just opened his mouth to speak when Teru suddenly slapped her cheeks hard, making him jump and leaving her cheeks bright red.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm tired tonight," she said lightly. "Could you say that again just to make sure my ears are working?"

He felt the knot in his chest loosen at her goofiness and smiled at her. He reached out to tug on her earlobe. "They're working just fine."

She watched his face, soft with an emotion she now couldn't live without. "Kurosaki." Teru could feel the tears coming and sniffed to hold them back. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

He took her hand and leaned forward to give her a soft kiss. "Nope."

The hand he held suddenly curled up into a fist. "What!"

Kurosaki raised the fist to his lips. "I'm asking you to attend a marriage interview with me." He brought the other hand up for a kiss. "So that I can date you in front of God and everybody." He let go of her hands so he could cup her face in his big hands. "So we can get engaged." He leaned forward and kissed away one of the tears that were falling down her cheeks. "So that then I can marry you."

Teru closed her fingers over his wrists, where she felt him trembling. "Oh," she whispered as he slowly dropped kiss after kiss over her tears face. "Is that all?"

He rested his forehead against hers for a moment and felt her let go of his wrists to wrap her arms around him. "So? What do you think?" He asked, pressing a kiss to her brow. "Do we thank Rena for the idea or do we tell her to shove it?"

She gave him a quick squeeze then leaned back in order to look him in the eye. Her eyes were still watery, but her smile could light up the sky. "I'll bring her the 'thank you' gift tomorr...mphh," she finished incoherently as Kurosaki hauled her against him for a joyful, and thorough kiss.

Next - friends, family, and how to act at a marriage interview


	18. Chapter 18

p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki and Boss stood in front of the large, traditional Japanese house that was somehow hidden in the midst of modern Tokyo. Boss looked at the address in his hand. "Are you sure this is the place?"/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki checked his tie for the twentieth time. "Yeah. Rena gave me the address. Besides...," he pointed to the discreet plaque alongside the door which read 'Tamane Marriage Services'. /p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Masuda put a restraining hand on his shoulder when he would have knocked on the door. "I know we talked about this, but are you sure this is a good idea?" He ran a hand over his gleaming scalp and wished for his hat. "You don't think you're...rushing it a little?"/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"If Boss had been hoping to instill doubt, Kurosaki thought, he was going to be disappointed. He smiled and patted the hand that was still on his shoulder. "Yes, I think it's a good idea. So does Teru. Besides, who's rushing? This is just to shut people up. We don't have to actually get married...ow. Ow!"/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki locked his knees against the pain and grabbed at Boss' hand as he squeezed his shoulder even tighter./p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""I wouldn't have thought it possible coming from you," Boss said softly, menacingly. "But if you are just playing with Teru...you and me are going to have problems."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""Right away!" Kurosaki said between clenched teeth. "I was going to say we don't have to get married right away." He called Boss an undignified name when his grip loosened. "I'm glad you have Teru's back, but come on!" He rubbed his shoulder and glared at his friend. "You know I'd have married her yesterday if I thought you guys wouldn't kill me."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Boss shrugged in apology and cracked his knuckles. "Alright, then." He gestured to the door. "After you."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki knocked on the ancient door. "We brought everything, right?" He brushed at his hair. "Do you think she and Riko are already here?" He looked at Boss' imposing figure as they waited. "That's a good suit. I never see you in a suit. Do I look okay? Should I have worn a gray suit instead of black? Maybe I should've mmphf..."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""Take a breath." Boss said, and kept his hand over Kurosaki's mouth as he did so. "Stop babbling." He waited for his nod and went on. "You look fine. Yes, they're already here. Riko texted me when they arrived." He took his hand away. "One more deep breath," he told him. "I hear someone coming."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki could hear the footsteps, too, and took that last deep breath before the door opened to reveal a well-dressed, serious-faced young man./p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""Kurosaki-sama. Masuda-sama." He greeted them as they stepped inside. He shut the door behind them and bowed deeply. "Welcome to the Tamane House. My name is Ueda Daiki. I am the assistant to Madam Tamane. We are honored that friends of the Rena family have chosen our humble establishment for such an important matter."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki and Boss bowed back. "The honor is ours," Kurosaki said honestly. /p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"He looked around the expensive foyer and realized how true that statement was. The Tamane Marriage Services (after the embarrassment of having set Rena Ichinose up with a crook), had been more than happy to grant a favor for the Rena family by offering their services to their less-than-auspicious friends. Without that introduction, they never would have been allowed on to the grounds, let alone the front door. /p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Once they removed their shoes, they followed Ueda through the house. "I understand this is your first marriage interview, Kurosaki-sama." Ueda said with a smile as Kurosaki tugged nervously at his tie. /p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"He winced and consciously tried not to fidget. "Um, yeah."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""I can only recommend that you try and relax," Ueda said in what Kurosaki thought of a sooth-the-client tone. "This is just the first meeting and no party is under any obligation to the other. Here at Tamane," he swept a manicured hand to indicate the house. "we offer a peaceful setting and calm, professional guidance to those that are looking for a life partner."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""I understand Miss Kurebayashi is the sister of your late business partner and friend and is currently in difficult straits." span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He sent Kurosaki a sympathetic look. "You are a generous and kind man to consider this union with a young lady in her...position in memory of your friend."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ueda turned back around and missed the perplexed look on Kurosaki's face. "Thank you, but it's not really like tha..."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Ueda cut him off as they came to a stop beside a room with closed shoji screen. "And here we are!" He turned to the two men. "Madam Tamane is inside with two ladies at the moment. I'll go tell her you're here, then she'll come and get you so she can make the first introductions."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""But we already...," Kurosaki trailed off as Ueda disappeared inside the room, shutting the screen behind him. He turned to Boss and found him fighting back a smile. "I thought Rena told them about us. Do they think we're meeting for the first time?"/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Boss cleared his throat. "Ah, it appears she left out some pertinent information. So, yeah." He grinned at Kurosaki. "Are you ready for your blind marriage date?"/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki messed with his hair and wished desperately for a cigarette. "We'll just set them straight once we get in there."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Boss shrugged. "Are you sure? You're coming off pretty good right now as a generous and kind martyr; ready to throw yourself on the pyre of marriage to save a girl from destitution."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);""Will you shut up!" He hissed. "I don't want anyone thinking of Teru that way. Do you know of any other person who could be orphaned essentially twice over, live by themselves when they're just a kid, get the best grades in the history of an entire school, and!" span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He forgot himself in his indignation and poked Boss in the chest. "Still be sweet, kind, and braver than anybody you've ever known?"/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Boss patiently grabbed the finger Kurosaki kept jabbing him with and patted him on the shoulder. "No I don't," he said soothingly, enjoying the show. /span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Damn straight," Kurosaki muttered. "Generous, my ass. I'm just scooping up the prize before the rest of the world clues in."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Boss slapped him on the back and nearly pitched him through the rice paper. "They only said it because they don't know you that well."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Ha ha very...crap! Here they come."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"They stepped back as the he door opened and Ueda emerged along with a chic older woman. Kurosaki and Boss bowed as Ueda made the introductions. "And this is Madam Tamane. She will personally conduct you first meeting."/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"She gave a regal nod in acknowledgement to their greeting. "It is a pleasure to you both. Mr. Rena spoke highly of you and your party." She gave another nod to Boss. /p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"Kurosaki wondered if it was Mr. Rena, and not Ichinose, who organized is in their behalf. It would explain the gaps, he thought./p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I understand you had no small part in the matter concerning Rena-sama and Morizono." The honorific was glaringly absent. "Mr. Rena was most appreciative and so are we. In any case," she waved a hand towards Ueda and sent him to bring tea. "We're happy to aid any friend of Mr. Rena."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Ah, thank you," Kurosaki replied. "But it a was a team effort."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"She waved her hand in the air once more. "Modesty is becoming, I'm sure. Now." She straightened and looked at him over the top of her glasses. "Did you bring your resume and biographical information?" She continued at his nod. "Good. I understand this is your first o-mia. Let me explain how this will go."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Kurosaki saw Boss' arm twitch and he wondered if he was fighting the urge to salute as the lady began to briskly tick off points./span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""The ladies are already here and seated at the table. I will go in and announce you, then I'll introduce both parties. You'll exchange portfolios and you'll be given ten minutes to review the information before we discuss the things you read." She cast a level look at Kurosaki. "You do understand, don't you, that Miss Kurebayashi is an exam student and will therefore have a very limited portfolio?"/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He thought of all their adventures of the past few years and wondered if she could put those on a resume. "I understand."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Good. Mr. Masuda will give a character reference for you and Ms. Riko will do the same for Miss Kurebayashi. After that time you and the young lady will be left to talk," she tapped her gold watch. "For half an hour. You may walk around the grounds at that time if it makes you more comfortable or you can use the room. If you wish, I can stay the entire time in case you feel you you won't be able to keep the conversation going. My job will be to prompt a dialog between the two of you." She clasped her hands in front of her. "Any questions?"/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Kurosaki's curiosity was peaked. "People really decide to get married from this one meeting? Do they ever date first?"/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Madam Tamane's lip curled ever so sightly. "We are not a dating service, Kurosaki-sama. Most who attend an o-miai are familiar with the procedure, practice, and the purpose of the meeting. This is an ancient and practical method to connect and create some of the strongest families in Japan." She gave him a quick head-to-toe. One, he felt sure, in which he came out lacking. "The families that we serve have their own resources to learn about the other party long before they ever meet."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Huh." He bit back some harsh words as Boss purposely stepped on his foot. "I mean, I'm sure that they're very happy together."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"She sniffed and turned towards the room. "Were you aware, Kurosaki-sama, that part of our service is to give each party a private, empersonal/em evaluation of the other after this meeting concludes. We have been in this enterprise for centuries." She threw him a cool look over her shoulder as she threatened him in no uncertain terms. "We will advise people for...or against a union based off of their conduct at this meeting."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Kurosaki wanted to laugh so badly he was actually afraid he was going to snort out loud. He couldn't wait to tell Teru about this. /span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""I understand, Madam." He lowered his head contritely in acknowledgement when she raised a well-groomed eyebrow at him. "I am in your hands. Please instruct me and take care of me."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"She nodded and turned back around. Boss timed it so she wouldn't see him softly smack the back of Kurosaki's head./span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"emStop it/em, he mouthed./span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Kurosaki smirked at him and pointed to her back as she put her hands on the screen. emShe started it, /emhe mouthed backem./em/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Now," she intoned solemnly. She opened the screen door and came inside a few steps before kneeling on the floor and bowing to those at the table. "Ladies, may I present Kurosaki Tasuku and his friend, Masuda-sama."/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"-/span/p  
p style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"


	19. Chapter 19

Note: sorry for the wait, my fair readers. And now, from Teru's perspective.

Teru had had a nerve-wracking week. She hadn't seen Kurosaki in three days because of his work and her cram school schedule. She hadn't even had the time to pow-wow with Riko about what to wear because of the extra work she'd taken so that she'd be free for today. She'd phoned Rena so much the past few days with questions that the other girl had started refusing her calls.

Riko had joined her that morning at the last minute. She'd talked her out of a skirted suit and into a pants suit, reminding her that they'd be sitting seiza-style for quite a while and that would be hard in a knee-length skirt. They'd gotten to the Tamane estate early and had just gotten to the room when Riko received an urgent phone call from work. Since the men weren't due for another 20 minutes, she stepped outside the doors that led to the garden area to take the call.

Teru was alone and fidgeting with nerves when Madam Tamane came in and introduced herself.

She pursed her lips at Teru's greeting and raised an eyebrow at her bow. "I see," She drawled as she slowly walked around Teru as she sat at the table. "I have heard quite a bit about you, Miss Kurebayashi."

Teru kept her eyes down and her expression bland as M. Tamane kept up her slow perusal. She recognized that tone. She'd dealt with it enough with the snobs at school through the years. The trick was to ignore it and keep on as normal. "Really, ma'am.?"

"Indeed." Madam Tamane sat down at the head of the table. "I understand your parents died when you were young."

"Yes."

" And your brother raised you after that, but then he died also."

Teru didn't even flinch at the rapid-fire questions. "Yes Ma'am."

"So, you are alone." Madam said baldly.

Teru looked up and met her eyes. "I'm not alone," she said evenly. "Riko was my brother's fiancée and I have the best friends in the world."

After a brief staring contest, Madam nodded approvingly. "Ah yes. And your brother worked with the young man who is attending the meeting today. He is also an associate of Riko-sama and Andou-sama," She said, mentioning the two who had written character references for both Teru and Kurosaki. She folded her hands serenely in front of her, "He was also part of the ministry team who saved miss Rena."

Teru wasn't about to tell this woman that she had been on that team, too. "Yes, Ma'am."

Madam Tamane took off her glasses and slowly set them in the table. "I don't normally interfere in our client's affairs, Miss Kurebayashi, but I wanted to make sure that you're fully aware of your position."

Here we go, Teru thought, reminding herself to keep her shoulders straight and to not roll her eyes. "My position, Ma'am?"

"Mr. Kurosaki is offering you a great service, Miss Kurebayashi. A charity, if you will." She nodded in approval as Teru humbly dropped her head to look at her hands. "The young ladies who utilize our services always have something to offer coming into a marriage; money, position, lineage, or even connections. You...," She paused significantly. "Your youth is an asset," she conceded. "But besides that, you have nothing to recommend you to a man in Kurosaki-sama's position." She a held a hand up when Teru looked up and opened her mouth to speak. "I'm only mentioning this to you because this meeting is not a guarantee that he will find you agreeable, despite the honor he holds towards your late brother."

"But, Kurosaki and I...", she started, but closed her mouth as Madam Tamane raised her hand once again.

"Do not," She closed her eyes as though in pain. "Be so familiar. Address him with 'sama'." She shook her head over Teru's manners. "Just follow my suggestions and you may find a way out of your deplorable condition with this arrangement."

Teru bit the inside of her cheek to stop from smiling as she thought about her 'deplorable condition'. The Tamane service obviously had no knowledge of the reason for this arrangement, or that she and Kurosaki even knew each other. She was about to tell her the truth when the lady stood up to pace while giving her a quick lecture on how a Japanese woman with nothing to offer secured a respected, well-established husband.

Apparently, she learned, men liked quiet, biddable women. That meant that she wasn't to contradict him, talk too much or interrupt him during the meeting. She was to praise his accomplishments and endeavors and steer the conversation back to him if stayed on her for too long. This, she was told, was a safety measure so as to draw attention away from her lack of experience or desirable qualities.

Teru nodded occasionally as she listened to the long list of do's and don'ts involving his work, socializing, and even family life. Mostly she tried to memorize everything so that she could share it with Kurosaki and her friends later...and grill Rena about what list she might have received. She snapped to attention as Madam Tamane abruptly stopped talking and took a seat once more.

"Do you understand, Miss Kurebayashi?" She asked as she put her glasses back on. "This is purely for your benefit, of course. Ah," she nodded as the door opened to the garden. "And here is Riko-sama."

Teru watched, bemused, as Riko and Madam Tamane greeted each other. She was glad Riko had been out of the room for the lecture. She had a feeling RIko would have listened politely then dragged her out of there on principle. As it was, she sat quietly as the two women traded compliments and discussed shared business acquaintances. The lady had just broached the subject of Riko utilizing their services when the man who had shown them in came in and bent to whisper in her ear.

"Ladies," Madam Tamane inclined her head as she stood up. "The gentlemen are here. I will show them in and make the introductions. Udea will bring refreshments in shortly after. Excuse me."

Teru and Riko bowed as she left, then turned immediately to whisper at each other as soon as the screen closed.

"DId you hear what she…".

"I have got so much to tell you…".

They stopped as their words ran together, then fell to giggling quietly.

Riko put a hand over Teru's. "Are you okay? You looked at little red when I came back in?" She looked at the screen where they could faintly hear Madam Tamane lightly lecturing Kurosaki. "Did that pompous woman say anything to upset you while I was outside."

Teru grinned. "How do you know she's pompous?"

Riko rolled her eyes. "Please. I am a psychologist, you know."

"She was fine." Teru shrugged. "She just gave me some tips for the meeting that I have to tell you about...later. Oh!" She tapped a finger on the portfolio she'd brought. "They don't seem to know that Kurosaki and I are already dating."

"Hmmm." Riko tapped her chin in thought. "If Rena's father was the one to call them, which would make sense, he may not have known. Rena may not have told him." The screen started to open and Riko waved her away in a whisper, "Just leave it alone. It shouldn't matter."

They stood up as M. Tamane came in and kneeled on the floor between both parties and bowed. "Ladies, may I present Kurosaki Tasuku and his friend, Masuda-sama."

Teru and Kurosaki's eyes locked for a moment, each thinking that the other looked amazing and their heart racing at what they were doing, before Kurosaki bowed along with Boss and repeated the traditional greeting, "Pleased to meet you. Please take care of us."

Riko and she bowed from their seats and repeated the greeting, then they all sat down at the table.

author's note: Sorry for the lack of action in this one. I needed to build some background for what happens next?


	20. Chapter 20

**Note: the Shichi-Go-San mentioned here is a celebration that occurs at 3-5-and 7 years of age. Children are dressed in traditional clothing and taken to a temple for a small celebration. It was originally meant to mark milestones as children survived past the dangerous early years. **

"Marriage," Madam Tamane intoned from the head of the table. "Is a sacred commitment that affects your entire life and that of your family. Both present and future. We at the Tamane Service wish each of you luck and fortune in that regard." She flicked a glance at Teru. "Regardless of your origins or path outside this house. Ah," she nodded at Ueda. "Now that the introductions have been made, let us share some tea while you review each other's portfolio's, shall we?"

While the lady turned to supervise the tea tray, Teru and Kurosaki quickly faced each other over the table. She frowned and pointed at their folders, wiggled her finger back and forth between them, then shook her head.

He nodded. The Tamane House totally didn't know they were a couple. He subtly jerked his head towards Madam and Ueda and shrugged.

She shook her head a little bit and rolled her eyes.

He nodded back. She was right. Why tell them? This would all be over soon anyway.

They pokered up once more as Madam Tamane passed out the tea. Once everyone was served she said, "At this time, please exchange portfolios. As you know, this will contain brief autobiographical information about each party. The resumes will explain that only the past and current pursuits but the future ones as well." She nodded significantly towards Teru.

The two parties bowed as they handed over their folders.

Kurosaki had literally just open the folder when he heard both Teru and Riko let out ill-concealed snorts and looked up just in time to see them jerk the folders up to conceal their faces.

He leaned over to Boss and whispered, "You put together my bio and resume, right?" He'd asked for help when a death-march order had come in and taken the time he'd set aside to pull them together.

Boss nodded and flipped Teru's folder open. "Family. Childhood. Schooling, what there is of it officially," he whispered back. "Had to call your mom for the pictures, though."

"The what!" He whispered. A little too loudly apparently, as the girls looked up at him and Madam Tamane's lips got even thinner. He held the folder in front of his face as he leaned towards Boss once more. "My mom gave you pictures? Which ones?"

Boss sighed and closed the folder in order to hold it up in front of his face like Kurosaki. " Why do you sound like that? I just asked her for a family picture, a juvenile one, and then one for your resume."

Kurosaki closed his eyes as he thought of his mom's sense of humor. "Did you tell her what it was for?"

"No. She emailed them to me and I forwarded them to one of the ministry secretaries to put it together. It's fine. Don't worry about it."

Easy for him to say, he thought, but Teru's shoulders were shaking so hard from suppressed laughter that Madam Tamane tapped her with her glasses with a glare.

Teru dabbed at the tear in her eye and took a deep breath in order to regain her composure. Studiously avoiding Madam's livid gaze, she returned to the folder once more.

And there it was. The Kurosaki family picture, obviously taken the day of Kurosaki's Shichi-Go-San.

Kurosaki's father, his features so familiar even though she'd never met him, smiled down at his 3yr old son. His mother, with whom Teru had spoken but never met in person, sat beside her husband, eyes closed as she unsuccessfully hid a laugh behind her kimono sleeve. And Kurosaki, he stood between his parents looking at the camera in all his traditional dress glory… with his index finger buried in his nose up to the second knuckle.

She hoped she got to keep the folder after the meeting.

To keep herself from giggling once again, she concentrated on the paragraphs accompanying the picture. The Kurosaki Family, she read, held a long and noble history in engineering and were early pioneers in the technology industry. She noted with pleasure that his father's death was now noted as meritorious and in behalf of the Ministry of Japan: all stigma having been removed after Antler and the deeds of the terrorist group had been revealed.

She ran a finger over the picture of his mother. As a result of the turnaround concerning her husband, she had received the insurance payout that had originally been denied her when he'd been deem a traitor. Kurosaki and Boss had also twisted arms all over the Ministry until she'd also been awarded all of the benefits she should have received as his widow.

Needless to say, the reports that Kurosaki had been getting from his mother lately we're happy ones.

She smiled at a picture of a 13-year-old Kurosaki, hair already bleached, sprawled out on tatami mats and surrounded by calculus and coding books. She learned a bit more about his schooling. She'd known that he hadn't gone to high school in the traditional sense, but apparently he'd been home schooled by his parents when his genius had become evident.

She finished the short pages that all too quickly summarized the life of one of the most amazing people she had ever known. Boss probably compiled this, she thought with a smile. There was no way Kurosaki would refer to himself as 'brilliantly heroic' or 'without equal in the techno-crypto world'.

According to his bio, he came off as a genius wunderkind who followed in the footsteps of his father and saved Japan from techno-terrorists on a daily basis. Which, she thought with pride as she sneaked a peek at him across the table, wasn't too far off.

She flipped back to the first picture and grinned. But the dry, dossier type report hadn't described his surliness, his impatience, or his crudeness. She flipped to the first page of his resume and sighed at his picture. It also hadn't done justice to his loyalty, his devotion and caring, or, she blushed as their eyes met for a moment across the table before she returned her gaze to the folder; his love.

Sighing again, and wishing she could giggle and tease him over the pictures, she turned again to his resume.

"Snrkk!"

She sniffed dramatically as the men and Madame Tamane turned to her. "Excuse me," she apologized.

When she was sure she had some self-control, she leaned towards Riko, who had the whole folder in front of her face so no one could see her bite handkerchief. "Riko," she whispered. "Is he really a web designer for Hello Kitt..."

"Shhh," Riko waved her off before they both broke down in giggles. Then their eyes met and they both mouthed the word 'lolicon'.

Kurosaki almost reached out when Teru put both the folder and then her head down on the table. Boss stoppped him with a shake of his head. He looked on, concerned until Madam Tamane leaned forward and hissed menacingly in Teru's ear. She lifted her head then, keeping it concealed once again behind the folder.

A sneaking suspicion formed. "Boss," he whispered. "You didn't put my… side jobs in my resume. Did you?"

"Of course I did," he whispered back calmly, oblivious to the subtle commotion across the table as he took notes. "It's a resume. Besides, that's a world-reknown corporation. You definitely want that in there."

Kurosaki fought the urge to lay his own head on the table and kept reading. Teru had included a lot of photos in her bio. He'd seen them before when she walked him through her photo albums one night, but they still kicked him in the gut.

The first one was a family photo. A woman who looked like Soichiro was draped over his shoulders as they both grinned cheesily at the camera. Beside them, a man who was the masculine version of Teru gazed lovingly down at the chubby toddler in his arms. He flipped a page and the goofy Soichiro he'd known and loved held the hand of a serious-looking Teru in her middle school uniform.

He ran a finger over where their hands were joined. This was taken only a year or two before he'd died.

Kurosaki glanced up at Teru and wondered at how strong she was. When he'd lost just one person he'd turned against the world until Soichiro had saved him. But Teru... His gaze followed her hand as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She stayed kind and good. He thought of the bullies at school and how she'd turned the worst of them into her best friend. He thought of how she dealt with spirit against a debt and a nasty janitor. Even before she'd known he was Daisy.

If he hadn't already love her, he thought with the smile, she still would have won his heart just by being herself.

"_A-hem_."

His eyes went from Teru's face, whom he realized belatedly he was still staring at, to the furrowed gaze of Madam Tamane.

He nodded his head in apology and returned his gaze to Teru's resume. He's been curious about seeing what she'd produce, seeing how, technically, she'd never had a job.

He wasn't disappointed.

Teru, and he could tell without the dark but she'd gone this herself, had created one of those pictograph resumes that were all the rage. The top of the page had all of the regular information; name, contact info, etc., but then a large heading simply stated, "Kurebayashi Teru". The rest of the page contained a full-length photo of serious-Teru, one hand on her hip and the other hand to her brow as her gaze looked at an angle off into the distance. The line leading off from her hand said, "A positive outlook ensures a positive future!"

One small 'pfft' escaped, but he quickly turned it into a cough.

And so it went. Lines connected to different parts of her body and listed either academic accomplishments (of which there many) or future aspirations. He had to admit, even as he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from chuckling, if he were an employer he definitely would have given this a second glance. Even, he noted, if the pantsuit she wore in the picture didn't do her legs justice.

An elbow to his ribs brought him back to the moment to find everyone watching him. He followed their gaze and saw that he had been tracing picture-Teru's legs. He jerked his hand back and fought the blush he could feel creeping up his neck. He cleared his throat. "Sorry. What?"

"I said," Madam Tamane enunciated clearly. "That the time is up for the portfolios." She was definitely now viewing him with a bit more of a jaundiced eye. "Do you have any questions for each other concerning the information you just read?"

Teru and Kurosaki looked at each other and shrugged. They couldn't think of anything because they already knew everything.

Madam Tamane barely avoided rolling her eyes and subtly reaching out, she whacked Teru's hand hard enough to elicit a small yelp. She missed the narrow-eyed glare Kurosaki and Riko gave her because of it. "Kurosaki-sama. Perhaps you could explain your _impressive_ job to Miss Kureyabashi." She laid her hand on Teru's shoulder and shared a pitying look with Kurosaki. "Her circumstances have not allowed a broad range of intimate interaction with those of your ilk."

He watched as Teru blushed and rubbed her knuckle, then he gave a decidedly mischievous smile. "Thank you, Madam, but anyone can do what I do."

"Well I hardly think...", she began in his defense.

"I mean," he cut in. "It's true that not many are qualified in this day and age." He smiled at Teru. "Custodial work does entail a variety of skill sets that are lacking in many of today's applicants," he tsked sadly.

"Custodial," Madam Tamane put a hand to her chest, then laughed. "Oh, Kurosaki-sama! This is no time to jest."

He gave her a polite, yet puzzled smile. "I'm not jesting, Madam." He turned to Teru, who had both hands over her mouth (to hide her grin), and spoke with apparent pride. "I've been the head custodian at a local private school for the past several years. I have several obedient and dutiful subordinates," he said with a decided twinkle in his eye. "The grounds are beautifully kept, if I do say so myself, and my rapport with the staff and students is second to none." He ignored the snort that came from the Riko's end of the table.

Teru dropped her hands when she thought she could keep a straight face and clasped them in her lap. "That's very impressive Kurosaki-sama." They both ignored Madam Tamane, who was having a hurried, whispered conference with Ueda over Kurosaki's file. "It's heartening to see someone with such a sense of duty and work ethic."

This time the 'snrk' sounded like it came from Boss.

"If you'll excuse me," Madam Tamame cut in. She turned to Kurosaki and put a hand on his file. "You _are_ Kurosaki Tasuku, are you not? Computer expert and Ministry employee?" Her voice rose quite a bit by the end.

"Yes, I am," he nodded, then gave a negligent wave. "But that's my second job."

"It's true," Boss said simply. "He's a world class computer expert." He waited a beat, as he'd also caught how she was treating Teru. "He's also my bartender and line cook, upon occasion. A good one."

"Bartender," she repeated weakly. But they noticed how Madam Tamane's body language had changed as she shifted ever so slightly in front of Teru. As though to protect her. "Would you gentleman excuse us for a moment?"

Kurosaki looked at Teru and Riko for direction. Riko was obviously enjoying herself immensely. She gave him a small nod.

"Oh," he gave a small wince. "I apologize, Miss Kurebayashi. Do you mind very much that I'm a custodian?"

Teru gave a beaming smile that let him know that she knew exactly what he was doing for her. "Not in the least, Kurosaki-sama. I am not so shallow. Besides, with the emphasis that we, the Japanese, place on cleanliness and tidiness, I'm surprised that your profession does not garner more admiration and respect."

"Not to mention job security in these hard economic times," Riko piped up with a smile. "Don't you agree, Madam Tamane?"

The lady simply raised a hand to her brow and took a sip of her tea.

"Then let's continue, shall we?" Riko winked at Kurosaki. "I believe the character reference is next."


	21. Chapter 21

**Note: Madam Tamane's official titl as a matchmaker is called a nakōdo.**

Madam Tamane visibly gave herself a little shake and took a deep breath before addressing the group once more. "Yes. Of course." She cleared her throat and sat up straight, folding her hands in her lap as she once more became the epitome of elegance and professionalism. "Riko-sama, will you please start?"

Riko smiled and inclined her head to the men. "I have known Kureyabashi Teru for a good while now, but I'd never actually met her until after her brother, my fiance, Soichiro died. You see," she looked at Madam Tamane. "One of the first things Soichiro would do after he got to know you would be to regale about his perfect, angelic sister. It was annoying. Sorry, Teru. Especially after we started dating." She rolled her eyes. "In my mind, I pictured a girl horribly spoiled by her adoring brother. I was expecting a bratty prima donna. What I found," she smiled at Teru. "was a kind, strong, and capable young lady. She had not only been living on her own, but she was, and is, #1 in her class and is the head of a very loyal group of friends."

"Not only that," she continued, "but at the time I met her she was dealing with a very trying situation," she raised an eyebrow at Kurosaki. "with a bully at school who was abusing her good nature by making her do his work. But," she said with admiration, "she resolved that situation on her own also. As her school psychologist," she put her hand on Teru's shoulder, "and as her friend, I would vouch for her character and abilities to anyone."

Madam Tamane smiled at Riko and Teru. "Thank you, Riko-sama. Now…"

"And," Riko interrupted with a raised a finger. "I would also like to take this moment to say that, in the place of her brother, I have no problem inflicting grave and permanent bodily harm on anyone who might make her unhappy. Thank you." She finished with a nod.

The refined lady stared at Riko for a moment with her mouth slightly ajar and missed the acknowledging nod that Kurosaki gave in return. "Ah, thank you, Riko-sama." She turned with wide eyes to Kurosaki and Boss. "Um, Masuda-sama," she gave a weak little wave. "Please share with us a little more about Kurosaki-sama."

"With pleasure." Boss turned to Teru. "Kurosaki, if you didn't know, was a child prodigy. He was, and is, completely brilliant." Boss paused and cast a twinkling glance at a blushing Kurosaki. "Probably because of that, and because of some personal issues he was dealing with, he was also a complete brat when I first met him."

Teru bit her lip to stop the laugh as Kurosaki closed his eyes in embarrassment.

"Despite his hair, it has been several years since that delinquent has made an appearance," he assured them. "As his colleague, trainer, and occasional boss, I can attest to his work ethic and his loyalty to friends and family."

He made sure to capture the gaze of Madam Tamane. "He has sacrificed a lot in his life for justice, to keep his promises and to ensure the health and happiness of those dear to him." He looked at Teru, whose eyes were glistening. "I would happily recommend him as a mate and partner to my own sister." He paused, then shrugged. "If I had one, that is."

The group sat in silence for a moment after Boss finished speaking. Teru and Kurosaki avoided everyone's gaze as they got over the embarrassment of having their praises sung out loud. Madam Tamane watched Kurosaki closely and everyone could see the moment she decided to ignore his less-than-prestigious non-computer related activities.

"Thank you, Masuda-sama," she said graciously. "Now. Kurosaki-sama, Miss Kurebayashi," She stood up, motioning for everyone to follow suit. "At this point the two of you will have half an hour to speak together. We recommend that you speak of the future and not of inane topics such as the weather. Remember," she solemnly pointed out, "why you are here. Give it it, and each other, the consideration that it deserves."

"Yes, Ma'am," they assured her at the same time.

"Good. You have the use of this room and the gardens." She gestured to the doors Riko had used before. "Would you like Ueda or myself to remain in order to facilitate conversation?"

The two of them looked at each other then shook their heads. "No, Ma'am."

She gave a little sniff. "Very good." She turned to Riko and Boss. "If you would follow me. You can adjourn to a nearby sitting room. We will bring you more tea and refreshments while these two conduct the solo interview."

Teru and Kurosaki bowed as everyone left the room. Kurosaki tried not to feel insulted as Madam Tamane gave him what could only be called a warning glance before she shut the shoji screen behind the party.

"Pfft!"

Kurosaki raised his head from the bow to grin at a giggling Teru. "Well _hello_, Miss Kurebayashi." He took one of the hands that she was using to unsuccessfully hide her chuckles and kissed the back of it. "Nice weather we're having, isn't it."

This time she stepped into him so that she could snicker into the shoulder of his suit. His arms came around her and they stood there for a few moments, laughing over the absurdity of their self-inflicted predicament.

Kurosaki put his hand over her mouth as voices came through the rice paper of the shoji screen. He removed his hand and looked down at Teru, jerking his head towards the garden doors. She nodded, giving him one last hug before stepping back. She turned towards the door only to be stopped by his hands on her shoulders.

He pulled her gently towards him once more. "Who knows who can see us out there. So before we go...," He whispered and wrapped his arms around her as he bent his head. "Hi."

She laid a hand on his cheek and smiled. "Hi," she whispered back a moment before he closed the distance and kissed her.

Kurosaki tried to keep it light and sweet, a little stress-release after their subtle subterfuge, but the relief of having her alone after such a morning got the better of him.

So he held her a little tighter.

Kissed her a little deeper.

Teru wrapped her arms around him in self-preservation once her head started spinning. She wanted to tell him to stop, to remember where they were, but the taste of him, the feel of him as he held her tight against him, made the words fall away as she just held on and kissed him back.

Kurosaki knew they had to stop once Teru started kissing him back. At the beginning, such as at the Ferris wheel, she'd been relatively passive and shy when they kissed. She was still shy occasionally, but she was learning how to kiss him back. Learning intuitively what he liked and how to respond.

And it was killing him.

He raised his head, fighting a groan as she automatically tried to follow. "Wait." He pushed away and held up a hand as he tried to catch his breath. "Sorry. I'm sorry." He rubbed a hand over his face and willed his heart to slow down as she took her own gulping breaths. He walked over to the tea tray that had been left in the room and poured them each a cup. He gave her a wry grin as he handed her hers. "You've been sitting there across from me all this time, looking beautiful and nervous, and I couldn't even hold your hand. I've really missed you these past few days."

Teru sipped the tea, grateful for the liquid on her parched throat. "Ah, me too. I'm sorry, too." She smiled and took his hand with one that still trembled. "I love reading those things about you. Hearing those things about you."

He snorted a little and squeezed her hand. "Why? You already know all that stuff and more besides."

She shrugged and put her cup down. "I like it when other people get to hear it too."

He almost used their handclasp to pull her to him once again, but stopped himself. Instead he fought a blush as he pulled her towards the garden. "Yeah, well, I think Riko could have talked a little more about you."

"Why?" She tilted her head as they stepped out into the traditional garden, remembering at the last moment to let go of his hand in case people were watching. "You were there."

"Like you said," he stuck his hands in his pockets as the followed the path to the pond. "I like it when others know what you've done and what you're capable of."

She blushed and kept step beside him. Anyone looking at them, she thought as they walked side by side with their eyes down, would have no problem thinking they were two nervous strangers trying to find conversation.

They got to the bridge and leaned on the rails to watch the colorful koi. "Your exams are next week, right?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah." She was applying to two schools and had to take a separate exams for each. "The Tokyo exam is on Saturday and the Chukyo exam is on Sunday," she said, speaking of the psychology school on the northern city of Nagoya. "I have three more cram classes between now and then"

"So," he wondered out loud with a smile. "What are you going to do when you get into both?"

"Ha!" She dropped a leaf into the water and watched the fish inspect it. "I wish." She looked up when he didn't say anything else and found him looking at her in earnest. "Oh! Um, if that happens I'll probably take the one that offers me the best scholarship...if they offer me one at all."

"Uh huh." Kurosaki fought the urge to tease her and roll his eyes. She'd been writing essays and filling out forms for the past few weeks. Also, Andou, Boss, Riko, and even he had all sent letters of recommendation and commendation to each of the schools. She may not know it, but those letters, as well as the one sent by an apologetic Ministry team, were enough to get her in without the exam.

"Well," he reached out and plucked a leaf from her hair. "Let me know as soon as you make a decision. If it's Chukyo it'll take a while to find a good apartment." He reached out and dropped the leaf. This time it was his turn to find her staring. "What?"

"Um," Teru felt as dizzy as she had when he'd kissed her earlier. "When you say 'find a good apartment', do you...," she swallowed and tried again. "Do you mean for _me_? Or for _you _and me?"

He frowned at her with a perplexed look on his face. "What?"

She wanted to stamp her foot...or run in the opposite direction. "If I choose Chukyo," she said slowly. "Are...are you coming too?"

Teru held her breath as Kurosaki slowly stood up straight from where he'd been leaning on the bridge and walked the short distance to tower over her. "You," he said softly, tenderly, "are not going anywhere without me." He raised a hand as though to touch the tears that were now on her cheeks, but drew back when he remembered who might be watching.

"We haven't talked about this, have we?" He moved to block the view from the house as she shook her head and took out her handkerchief to wipe her eyes. He waited until she was done, then tipped up her chin until she looked him in the eye. "Here's what the reality in my head has been," he started. "I guess I forgot to run it by you because it felt like it was a given." He bent down until they were eye level. "If you don't want it this way, you just tell me."

She sniffed. "Um, what's the reality in your head?" She asked tentatively. "Then I'll tell you if I want it."

"If you choose Tokyo University you'll move back in with me," Kurosaki said simply. "If you choose Chukyo we get an apartment in Nagoya."

"What about your work?"

He didn't even blink. "There's a Ministry office there that will take me." He ignored her indrawn breath at the realization that he'd already taken steps. "Plus, hello?" He smiled and took the handkerchief away from her to dab the corners of her eyes. "Hackers can work anywhere as long as there's wifi."

Teru could only stare at him as he stuffed the hankie back into her limp hand. "Oh."

He waited for her to say more but she only stared. He shifted as nerves started to intrude. "So?"

"Huh?" She asked, dazedly.

"My reality." He stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders as though his world didn't hinge on her answer. "Do you want it?"

He watched as she slowly raised a hand and then winced as she pinched herself hard on the arm.

"Okay," he watched her close her eyes and breath the word. She shook her pinched arm out and nodded. "Okay."

He had to ask. "Are you saying 'okay', you understand? Or 'okay', yes, let's do it?"

Teru hugged herself and fought the urge to fling herself into his arms. "It was actually, 'okay, he really said it', but yes. Yes! Okay! I want it!" She laughed and jumped up and down a few times in her joy. "I can't wait to live with you again," she said with a happy sigh.

Kurosaki felt his own eyes burn and took a step towards her, but stopped as he caught site of a gardener walking to another part of the garden. He took her hand. "I've missed you everyday."

She rolled her eyes even as she blushed. "I live right next door."

He rubbed his thumb in slow circles over the back of her hand, smiling as she blushed even more. "Not the same."

She sighed as they stared into each other's eyes. "I know."

Kurosaki had just mentally consigned privacy and discretion to a very hot place when Madam Tamane threw open the door with a flourish. They took a step a back right before she spotted them on the bridge.

"Ah, there you are. The half hour has past." They made their way back and she stood back, holding the door as they reentered the house. She narrowed her eyes at Teru for a moment and she wondered if she could tell she'd teared up. Or, oh god. Teru's hand touched her lips. If she could tell they'd kissed. "I trust that your conversation was enlightening."

They sat back down beside Boss and Riko, who had come back into the room along with a new tea tray. Teru poured a cup for Kurosaki and herself and blushed when Kurosaki smiled at her and replied, "It certainly was."

"Excellent." Madam Tamane sat down at the head of the table once more and regarded the pair with a raised eyebrow. "I should let you know that I made a phone call to Rena-sama and the Ministry while you were speaking." She 'hmm'd' knowingly as they froze in the act of sipping their tea. "I see you have guessed what we discussed."

Kurosaki put his cup down. "Madam Tamane, we..."

He closed his mouth as she raised her hand. "At the Rena household I was fortunate enough to speak with Miss Rena." She winced inwardly at the memory of the acerbic conversation with the powerful young lady. "She informed me of you current relationship status." She watched with satisfaction as all four of them dropped their heads in apology. "The Ministry, on the other hand, was so good as to inform me not only of your future employment status, Kurosaki-sama, but of Miss Kurebayashi's role in certain events regarding Miss Rena." Her lips pursed in frustration. "Though they would not disclose details."

"They're not really allowed to...," Boss started, but shut up as she raised her hand once again.

"I am quite aware of that, thank you." She clasped her hands together in front of her on the table. "I wanted to make you all aware," she drawled in such serious tones that everyone braced for the lecture. "That the Tamane house applauds both your personal and professional efforts."

Riko was so taken aback that she accidently said, 'Huh?' out loud.

"Not only that," she continued. "But we are honored that you would use our good name to give social legitimacy to your match." She gave Teru and Kurosaki a small smile. "Though in my professional and personal opinion, you make a lovely couple and shouldn't care about what anyone else thinks."

She started to take a sip of tea, but stopped when she noticed everyone staring at her. Including Ueda. "What? You think I can be in the marriage business and _not_ be a romantic?"

"Ah, thank you," Kurosaki said, because Teru and Riko were too busy sighing. "But, we want to let you know that we didn't mean to deceive you." Pause. "At first."

Teru nodded. "This all came together so quickly, thanks to Rena, that we didn't know that, well, you didn't know until we got here." She looked at Kurosaki and they both shrugged. "I guess we thought it would take too long to explain." She bowed towards the lady. "We're sorry if we caused any problems."

Madam Tamane waved a hand in the air. "You did no such thing. And Kurosaki-sama," she gave him a short bow. "I said unnecessary things and you put me very much in my place. Good job and my apologies."

Boss waited for the two of them to finish exchanging apologies then said. "I'm sorry, but what happens now? I mean, what would normally happen now? Because this," he waved a hand towards Kurosaki and Teru. "Is real."

Madam Tamane sat back, once more the epitome of a professional nakōdo. "In circumstances where the two parties consider the match to be a good one, a defined period of 'courtship' begins," she explained. "Often times, even in marriages arranged purely for business or political reasons the pair already know of each other or of the family. This period allows them to get to know each other better and decide if the marriage would be viable." She finished this canned spiel with a smile. "Everyone else would call it 'dating'."

"In other words, keep doing exactly what you have been doing. Just publicly." She gestured to a dazed Ueda. "If anyone asks about your relationship, you tell them refer them to our service," she took a small box from her assistant and handed it to Kurosaki, "and give them our card."

"The best possible outcome for an o-mia is a love match. It's what everyone actually wants as the end result of an arranged marriage." She clapped her hands together, making everyone jump. "Really, you two will be the best advertising we've had in years!"

Kurosaki looked from the beaming face of Madam Tamane to his smiling companions. "Glad we could help."


	22. Chapter 22

It had been several weeks since the o-mia. At first they had wondered how they could spread the word about their 'new' relationship, but they had quickly discovered (and appreciated) how fast word traveled among the rich and elite via Madam Tamane. Soon, students she had never spoken to were congratulating her on her match to an up-and-coming Ministry servant. Kurosaki, too, was being treated with a lot more respect by the students and staff since word of his being associated with the elite Tamane house and the Ministry got out. Some of them even believed that he had been undercover (which wasn't that far off) and were further impressed by his talents.

But even though everyone now knew and they were able to be together, they hadn't gotten to see much of each other. Teru, having passed her National Center test back in January, still had to take the specific test for her two university picks. They were both happening the same weekend, so she had been doing nothing but study in all her free time. The rare bits of respite she got were during lunch breaks at school with her friends.

And even those weren't that restful.

"What do you mean you haven't done it yet!? What's wrong with you two?"

Teru nearly choked on her lunch. She glanced around the classroom, but no one had heard them. Yet. "Haruka! Shh!"

Rena didn't even look up from her cram book. "We're you even listening before? She told us that Kurosaki promised he wasn't going to touch her until after she graduated."

"Ugh. Like there aren't a thousand ways to mess around without actually going all the way." Haruka griped as she rolled her eyes. She snatched Teru's drink, holding it hostage just out of reach.

"Hey!"

"What is the point," she said in a voice full of disgust. "of having a marriage interview and becoming an official, non-creepy, sanctified couple if you're not going to take advantage of the benefits? You turn 18 in a couple of weeks. Please, please tell me that he'll stop being a moron once you're officially an adult."

"What's the big deal," Teru whispered while she reached for her drink. "We graduate the week after that."

"Which is exactly my point. Wait." Haruka stopped and narrowed her eyes at Teru. "Have you guys even kissed?"

"Yes! I told you that already! Gimme...fine," Teru could feel the blush to the tips of her ears. "We kiss a lot." Haruka made another sound of derision and pulled the drink she was about to hand over away once more. "I mean a lot! And he shows me different ways to kiss and he, um," she covered her face with her hands and wished for less curious friends. "he left a mark on my neck one night."

That got Rena's attention and she and Haruka leaned forward. "I don't see anything."

"It went away," Teru explained defensively from between her fingers.

Haruka rolled her eyes, but gave her back her drink. "Lame. You are so lame! Why am I the only one at this table without a boyfriend?" She threw her hands dramatically in the air. "And yet you two each have one, but don't use them to their full potential. It's sad!"  
she complained loudly.

People were finally starting to look their way, so Teru leaned forward. "Can we please not talk about this here!" She hissed.

"Hmmph." Haruka sat back and crossed her arms. "Fine."

"Thank you." Teru let out a breath. "Now," She gestured towards the unopened books in front of her agitated friend. "Isn't your test next week?"

"Um," Haruka and Rena looked at each other and then back at Teru. Both raised an eyebrow. "Aren't both of yours this weekend?"

"Yes!" She covered her hands once more and groaned. "But I asked you first. How do you feel about university?"

"Eh," Haruka shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. My parents are more into the idea of it than I am. I mean, I already know I'm taking over the family business one day. Why do I need more schooling for that? Now our president here," she threw a napkin at Rena, smiling when she caught it and tossed it back. "might take over an entire multinational company. I can see why she'd need to go to college."

Rena tossed her hair, looking haughtier than ever. "Well Father's not going to just give me the company, is he?" She sniffed. "Of course, they'd probably give to my husband...if he were the right kind of man."

Haruka leaned forward, placing her chin in her hand. "Oh, reeeeally?" She drawled. "Now tell us again, what area of study did Kiyoshi decide on?"

Teru bit her lip to keep from smiling as Rena's cheeks turned rosy.

"That has nothing to do with it," Rena said regally. "It's only natural, with his skill set, to be interested in business technology."

"Uh huh," Haruka said, tongue-in-cheek and turned back to Teru. "What about you? You're trying for Tokyo University, right? For pyschology?"

"Yep. And Chukyo. Just in case." She looked up from her lunch as both Rena and Haruka snorted. "What?"

"Well, let's see," Haruka starting counting on her fingers. "You have a personal recommendation from the headmaster. You have a letter of recommendation from the school psychologist - who just happens to be a graduate from one of those schools." She turned to Rena. "Oh, and you know, that other little thing."

"Oh, you mean the letter of commendation from the Ministry of Japan for her 'little part'," she used air quotes. "As Teru puts it, in the fiasco a few months ago?"

"Yeaaah, that's the one." She flicked off Teru, laughing as she slapped her hand away. "Seriously, though. Why are you even taking the test? Any one of those things would probably just get you in."

Teru fought not to squirm as her friends raised their eyebrows in question. "Those aren't guarantees," she argued. It was true that oftentimes a recommendation from a higher-up could get you into the university without taking the test, but still... "Plus, the test will show that I did it on my own. Without any handouts."

Her friends laughed right in her face.

"Right. Handouts." Haruka wiped a tear from her eye and thought of all the years Teru had spent living alone and fending for herself (with the virtual support of Daisy), bullied, poor, lonely, and still managing to be the leader of their group and #1 in the class. "Well, at least if you bomb the test your 'handout' will still be there for you. Sucker."

This time Teru laughed along with them. "Will you shut up? Maybe we should go back to talking about boys."

Rena poked her in the shoulder. "Don't you mean men? Kurosaki's what, eight years older than you?"

"Oooh, perfect!" Haruka clapped her hands. "Not old enough to be creepy, but old enough to know what he's doing with a girl. You could be having so much fun! Why don't you guys fool around at all here at school while he still works here?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "He has keys to all the rooms. You'd never be caught!"

Teru shook her head and it wasn't as vehement a reaction as Haruka had expected. "We don't see each other much at school lately. I've been busy studying and he's got two jobs right now. Technically." In fact, she'd already gotten an earful by Rena for all of 'her' efforts being 'wasted' if they weren't going to hang out more. She looked wistfully around the classroom, noting the janitorial things she knew he'd done like a love-sick moron. "He's trying to finish a lot of projects before he has to leave."

"You mean," Rena leaned forward. "When you graduate and he moves on to his new job and you start college."

"No." Haruka leaned forward also, nudging Rena aside with her elbows. "You mean when you graduate and he traps you in the bedroom for a week...before he moves on to his new job and you start college."

Teru wanted to hide under the desk, if only in case her friends could tell how close Haruka was to the truth. She did think about him all the time. She also thought about him in _that way _more and more. How did they go from where they were now to full, skin-on-skin intimacy?

The images in her mind had her putting her head on the desk as as she got dizzy.

"I know what you're thinking about," Haruka sing-songed as Teru crossed her arms over her head.

"Shut up," came the muffled reply.

Rena took pity on her. "So, your birthday...what do you want to do?" She swatted at Haruka who elbowed her in the ribs and snickered. "With us. What do want to do with us for your birthday?"

Teru lifted her head, her face still rosy with her blush, and rested her chin on her hand. "I have no idea. We could go eat somewhere."

"You should probably check with Kurosaki first," Rena pointed out. "After all, he did highjack you for the entire day on your last birthday."

"That was different," Teru sighed, remembering the day. "That was the day he first told me he loved me, that he kissed me for the first time, and that we first started going out."

"Oh my god!" Haruka squealed and grabbed Teru's hand. "That means it's your first anniversary! You totally have to check with Kurosaki first. I know." She put her arm around Rena. "We'll just plan it for the day after, okay?"

"Okay," Teru agreed dazedly. With all of the craziness lately, she hadn't given any thought to her birthday, let alone that she and Kurosaki had been together for a year.

She'd only ever thought of anniversaries in terms of marriage. Were they supposed to get each other gifts? Was this a normal thing that other couples did?

Rena's casual 'are you going to get him a gift?' drew a wailing, "I don't know!" that definitely drew all eyes.

Haruka shushed her while glaring at the gawkers. "Sorry! Sorry. You're right, we shouldn't talk about this now. You have a test tomorrow," she said in a soothing voice. "Think about that instead."

When Teru just groaned and buried her head once again, Rena glared at their friend and hit her with her cram book.

"Oops." Haruka winced and shrugged. "Sorry."

Teru went to find Kurosaki as soon as her classes ended. She found him in the janitors office fixing something at his desk.

He looked up as she closed the door. "Hey!" He smiled at her and motioned her over with a jerk of his chin since his hands were full and covered in oil. "I thought you'd be knee deep in textbooks right now."

She put her hands together behind her back (mainly to stop herself from touching his hair) and walked over to lean against his desk. "Believe me, that's what I'm doing next," she assure him, shifting to avoid the grease. "Um, but first..."

Kurosaki heard the note in her voice and put down his tools. "What's the matter? Is it about your tests this weekend?"

"Nothing's the matter. And it's not about tests," she replied breezily. "But, um, I was just wondering if we're supposed to cmbrt our fmpht amvsy," she finished in an embarrassed mumble.

Kurosaki smirked as she hid behind her hair and talked to the floor. He reached out a hand to pull her towards him, but stopped when he realized his hands were covered in oil. Instead, he rolled his chair around the side of the desk. Teru was so busy inspecting her feet that she didn't realize he'd effectively trapped her until he set his legs on either side of hers.

"There," he smiled again at her 'eep!' of surprise. "Come again now?"

God, she'd missed him lately. The thought popped into her mind as he sat there grinning up at her from the chair. She'd missed that raffish grin. And, oh god, she could practically feel the heat of him. Especially when his legs brushed hers. "Uh..."

"Are we supposed to...what?" He asked, enjoying her flustered state.

He literally laughed out loud when she put her hands over her eyes. "Are we going to celebrate our first anniversary?" She asked in a rush.

That shut him up.

"I mean, we don't have to," she continued nervously. "I just didn't know if that was something people normally do or if we were supposed to or..." Teru peeked through her fingers when he didn't respond and found that he had reached out for a cloth and was busily wiping his hands. "Kurosaki?"

He cursed when the cloth just smeared the muck around. He threw it down and held his hands up out of the way. "Come here."

"What?"

"Come here," he repeated, scooting the chair back and nodding down at his lap. "Sit."

She glanced nervously at the door. "But what if..."

"Screw 'em. Anyway, we're an approved of, official item now. Remember?"

She nodded, blushing as she sat gingerly and primly on the edge of his knee.

"Oh, for the love of..." Kurosaki moved suddenly, raising one leg up to cross his knees. She squeaked as this effectively lifted her feet off the floor and dumped her solidly in his lap and up against his chest.

He raised his hands higher to keep her from getting dirty as her hands grabbed onto him for balance. "There," he said smugly. "Now, put your arms around me." He closed his eyes for a moment as she haltingly complied, enjoying the feel of her pressed up against him. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Now, look at me."

Teru snuggled closer for a moment, her cheek just the right height to rub against his shirt through the v opening of his jumpsuit. She waited another moment for her erratic breathing to even out, then looked up. She found him tracing her features with a tender gaze before meeting her eyes.

"So, you want to know if we should celebrate our first anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend?" Kurosaki asked quietly. He leaned down and her eyes fluttered shut as he placed a soft kiss on her brow. "If it were up to me," he kissed one eye, then the other. "I'd have celebrated the number of days we've been together." A lingering kiss on her cheek as her breath started to come faster. "But years will work, too," he murmur against her lips.

Their lips met in slow, sipping kisses. Teru's arms tightened around him and Kurosaki's hands jerked as he fought the instinct to hold her. He would often cup her chin or tangle a hand in her hair when they kissed. He'd started doing that when they'd first started dating as gentle encouragement for when she'd get nervous and start to pull away. He'd never trapped her. He'd just held her close, breathing her in and accustoming her to the heat and the closeness; the intimacy that was making out. Now it was second nature to touch her and not doing so made his muscles ache as the kiss deepened.

She had (mostly) gotten over her shyness at simply kissing, as she demonstrated now.

Teru wished hazily that she were on her feet so that she could rise on her toes to better reach his mouth. To make do, she changed her grip, raising one arm to wrap around his neck and pulling herself up a little higher to press her lips more firmly against his. It also, she realized at his groan, had shifted her higher up his lap.

The way he sat, with one foot resting in the opposite knee, created a V that hid nothing as her butt settled solidly against the apex of his thighs. Her movements had also caused her skirt to ride up, which meant that the heat and the hardness of him had one less barrier through which to batter her senses.

She quelled her first reaction (which was to scramble off of his lap and dash for the door) and instead just held him tighter as he continued to let her lead in is intimate, momentary dance.

This was what he'd taught her the past year. That every touch wasn't a race to the finish. That kissing was about transmitting your feelings through the meeting of lips. Or tongues, she thought fleetingly as the kiss turned from a long press of lips to a tasting, dueling foray. Kurosaki's kiss told her that he wanted her, loved her, and would protect her. She could only hope that she was good enough at kissing that could tell what she felt for him.

Oh, god. Thank you god. Were the only thoughts left in Kurosaki's head as Teru effectively blew his mind. There was nothing hotter on this earth than a woman who wanted you. And Teru...she might not have been fully aware of it, but he could feel her nails, even through his jumpsuit. Her legs, which were draped over his thigh, kept moving restlessly and clenching together whenever he licked his tongue against hers. Her perfect, perfect breasts were pressed into his chest and her breath hitched in a tiny moan whenever she shifted positions; her hardened nipples (which her school shirt could do nothing about, thank god) rasping against the firm material or his jumpsuit.

He was holding it together. Barely. But he was holding it together by reciting sutras, code, English grammar, anything but what he really wanted to do to her and with her.

Which was everything.

He was doing pretty well too, he thought, until her hand tracked up his neck and into his hair. That hand then clenched and roughly pulled his head to the side as she bit his tongue.

Kurosaki's entire body jerked against her. "Oh shit!"

It took Teru a moment to come out of Kurosaki's thrall when he pulled away, jostling her as both of his feet came down and the chair jerk forward. He'd rolled them forward until his hands could reach the desk, his arms stretched out on either side of her. They sat there speechless, panting, as his he leaned down and pressed his forehead to her shoulder.

Though she hadn't yet experienced it, Teru imagined this was what 'drunk' felt like. The hazy, ear-buzzing, euphoria lasted for about a minute before she mentally came to...then came the gut-burning shame.

She thought about how she'd kissed him, and how she hadn't moved after she'd felt his..."Oh, my god!" Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to sit perfectly still on his lap. She thought about moving, but she was very effectively trapped between the desk, the chair...and him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I did something wrong, didn't I? I took it too far, right?" She babbled as she kept her eyes shut, still tingling at every point where she and Kurosaki still touched. "And I interrupted your work for something stupid. Just let me up and I'll get out of your..."

"Shut up," Kurosaki rasped from her shoulder, making her eyes pop open. "Or I'll be forced to shut you up with a kiss." He raised his head until they were nose to nose. "And god help us then."

The deep gravel of his voice made her shiver and gulp as she nodded.

"Okay. Okay," he took a deep breath and dropped his head to her shoulder again and thought about baseball. "Gimme a minute."

Teru nodded again and concentrated on his office door and the faint noise of the school (that she forgot had existed for a few minutes) that lay beyond instead of him. She couldn't concentrate on how good he smelled or how hard his muscles were beneath her hands or how hot his breath was from her shoulder... She wrenched her attention back to the door.

A few minutes later Kurosaki sighed and rolled the chair back. He lifted his head up and told her 'up', then rolled his eyes when she furrowed her brows in question. A moment later he just stood up. She jumped to her feet the moment before she was dumped on her rump.

She smoothed her skirt down as he went over to the sink and began to wash his hands. Since he was turned away for a moment, she went into one of her brother's bowling meditation poses to try and clear away some of her nerves.

"Remember to do some of those before the tests this weekend, okay?"

She rose up out of the 'crane tries for a split' and found him drying his hands as he watched her. "I will. I have a couple picked out for before and after."

Reading her expression, Kurosaki raised a finger as she opened her mouth. "Don't apologize, ya twerp. 'Cause lIke hell I'm going to apologize when I make out with you. Got it?" She nodded with a blush. He slowly walked towards her as he balled up the towel and tossed it aside. "You've got, what, three minutes before your last cram class?" Another nod. "Then let's finish this."

He took her hand with one that still had oil under the nails. "Hell yeah, let's celebrate our anniversary. But it's still your birthday." He raised it for a kiss. "Your eighteenth birthday," he wiggled his eyebrows and made her giggle. "To be exact."

"Um," she swallowed past a suddenly dry throat. "Does that mean you want to...to..."

He kept his eyes down and took her other hand in his, weaving their fingers together.

When he looked up at her and she saw his eyes, she realized with a jolt that the hand holding might be a way for him not to do something he'd regret. At least for now.

"_After_ graduation," he drawled, the gravel present in his voice once more. "I will explain to you in great and varied detail why you should not have asked me that question _before_ graduation."

"Okay, then," she squeaked, jerking her hands back as he let them go. She backed towards the door, her eyes watching his every movement as he lazily followed her. "So, um, gifts. I-I'll get you a gift then. For our anniversary." Her shoulder rapped into the wall beside the door and she felt for the knob without looking away from the smirking Kurosaki.

"Hey." He stopped about a foot away and put his hands in his pockets. "I'm glad you stopped in." He grinned big and wide. "For a lot of reason. But mainly because of this." He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Good luck."

Teru looked at the temple charm and felt her eyes prick with tears. Literally thousands and thousands of such charms were being obtained in behalf of exam students, but this one came from Kurosaki and it was just for her.

She closed her hand around it and pressed it to her heart. "Thank you," she sniffed.

He took a step forward. "This is for luck, too." And placed a soft, achingly tender kiss on her lips before stepping back, hands in his pockets once more. "I won't see you tomorrow, but don't forget I'm picking you up from your test on Sunday, okay?"

"Okay," not thinking of the tests at all, she sniffed again and smiled as she opened the door. "I'll see you then."


	23. Chapter 23

"Why," Riko asked around a yawn. "Aren't you using this time to sleep?" She leaned against the doorjamb and rubbed her eyes as she watched Teru go through her yoga routine. "Your test doesn't start for another four hours."

Teru released a slow breath and stood up out of her pose. "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep," she admitted. "At least it gives me time to relax." She closed her eyes and went into the 'prayer to the sun' pose, stepping forward with one leg and raising her arms straight above her head. "And now I have time to leisurely eat and get to the testing center reaaaaally early."

Riko peered blearily at the clock in her room. It was still an hour until she needed to get up. She sighed and looked back at Teru. "Do you want me to make us breakfast?"

"No no no," Teru assured her from the 'downward facing dog'. "Go back to sleep. I'll have something for when you get up."

"A'right," Riko yawned, turning back towards her room. "And then I'm dropping you off, right?"

"Yes, please." She had planned on taking the train, but had later decided against it given the thousands of exam students that would be descending upon Tokyo University via the train lines. "I appreciate it, Riko."

"Mmphf," came the muffled reply as Riko closed her bedroom door.

Teru blew out a slow breath and centered her mind once more. Today's test was supposedly one of the hardest in the country. And after that, she still had to come home, grab her bag, and head to the train station to go to the city of Nagoya. She'd rented a hotel room close to Chukyo University so as to avoid a three hour train ride right before the test. Then tomorrow, for better or worse, the tests would be over.

Her thoughts calm, her heart steady, she put her hands together after the final pose.

She nodded to herself and headed to the kitchen. She was ready.

"I'm not ready!" Teru blurted out with her hand on the car door.

Riko suppressed a smile as she thought of her past exam day. She cleared her throat and put on her best psychologist voice. "You'll be great. It's just nerves." She patted her shoulder. "It's perfectly normal." She waved at the car waiting behind them. "You're early enough, why not do some breathing exercises to calm down like we practiced?"

"How can I calm down?" Teru turned gigantic eyes towards her friend. "I don't remember anything!" She put her head on the dash and clutched the charm Kurosaki had given her. "I'm going to be a Ronin, aren't I," she groaned, speaking of those who fail their entrance exams. "I'm going to fail and ruin my life, aren't I?"

"Take a breath, Teru." With her friend leaned forward, Riko used the opportunity to reach past her and open the car door. "You're not going to be a Ronin. Your life won't be ruined. You'll do fine. Good luck."

Teru raised her head. "But..."

"Pull yourself together!" Riko barked suddenly. And indeed, Teru straightened up and seemed to snap out of her freak out. "You're the #1 student in an elite high school, aren't you?"

Teru took a deep breath and nodded.

"That's right." Riko pointed to the college. "Now go out there and make us all proud." She paused. "Well, prouder. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Teru got out of the car and closed the door.

"Good. And don't call me ma'am." She leaned over as Teru crouched down to see her through the window."I won't be there before you leave tonight, so good luck tomorrow, too. Call me tonight, okay? I want to hear all about today's test."

"Okay," Teru said with a shaky smile. "Thanks for everything, Riko."

Riko smiled and waved as she pulled away and Teru fought the urge to chase after the car.

She slowly turned and faced the testing hall. They hadn't even opened the doors, yet several students were waiting outside.

Trying not to panic.

She took one more deep breath and went to join the throng.

Kurosaki slipped on his sunglasses as he drove from Tokyo to Nagoya. The traffic was light since it was a Sunday morning, so he was making good time.

He couldn't wait to talk to Teru. She'd left him a quick and unsatisfactory message yesterday before she'd headed south saying only that the test was over, she was alive (barely), and that she'd see him tomorrow. She'd sounded so tired, but relieved. He wanted to ask her what it was like to take an entrance exam. Did she remember everything or did she make up answers? What were some of the questions? Did anybody cry? All of the things he'd secretly wondered about since he'd never experienced it.

And he wanted this to be over for her. All the extra classes and the cram school and late hours. All the nerves and the worry. Not to mention the fact that he just plain missed her while she was busy with all these things.

He looked at the clock. She was going in to the test in just a few minutes.

Teru walked slowly out of the testing hall, squinting at the light as she and hundreds of others exited the building. She looked on in complete sympathy as one examinee walked over to a patch of grass and plopped down face-first with a groan.

She felt elated and numb. It was like she'd squeezed out all the knowledge in her brain the past two days and now there was nothing left. She'd felt the same way yesterday after the Tokyo test. The numbness had lasted through about half of the train trip to Nagoya. At that point she became convinced that all of her answers were wrong, that she'd used up whatever skills she'd had in Tokyo, and that Chukyo was a waste of time because she'd fail anyways. She'd calmed down considerably by the time she went to bed, but had decided to just leave everyone messages saying she was fine lest she blubber all over the phone lines.

And with Kurosaki...oof. She was dead certain that if she'd actually gotten him on the phone she would have whined and cried until he promised to come get her that minute.

But now it was over. Her brain fired up a few more neurons at that realization and she smiled. She just stopped walking and closed her eyes at the heady relief that came with that statement. It was over.

"Don't stand there like that, moron. Someone's either going to plow into you or pickpocket you."

She spun around. "Kurosaki!" She took the two steps that separated them and threw herself into his arms.

He caught her, laughing as he gave her a quick spin before setting her back on her feet. "You okay?" He cupped her face, running his thumb along her cheek where the black circles met her fair skin.

"It's over." She closed her eyes with a sigh and leaned in to hug him. She snuggled her cheek against his chest and smiled when he pressed a kiss against the top of her head. "So, yeah."

He rocked her for a minute, running his hand up and down her back as the tension slowly left her shoulders. "Did you kick ass?"

"I have no idea." She lifted her head up and sighed. "Right now everything's a blur. Plus,

I've had three nosebleeds in two days." She scrunched up her nose. "I wonder if blood loss affected my mental acuity?"

He grinned at her babbling and tipped up her chin, dropping a light kiss on her lips that made her turn bright pink. "Yeah, you kicked ass."

"Shhh!" She took a quick glance around, but nobody around them cared enough to look their way. "Don't jinx me."

"I can't jinx you. You're amazing." He grinned again and put his arm around her shoulders as he started walking towards the car. "Plus, you're already done with the tests."

She leaned into his side and slid an arm around his waist as they walked. "Say it again."

"You're amazing," he repeated sincerely.

She blushed and tickled his side. "Not that!"

Kurosaki laughed and grabbed her hand as they got to the car. "You, Kurebayashi Teru," he stated solemnly as he opened the car door for her. "Are done with your tests."

Teru took a seat and stared dreamily out the windshield as Kurosaki closed her door and came around. "You won't mind if I ask you to say it a couple more times as we drive home, will you? So it sticks?"

"No problem. Although I think the fact that you're not going to be spending every spare minute at cram school or studying will make it stick just fine." He started the car up, then turned it right back off. "Teru, where's your overnight bag?"

"Huh? Oh!" She slapped her forehead. "It's at the hotel! I had the room until 5pm so I kept my stuff there so I didn't have to leave it outside the exam hall."

"Fair enough." He started the car up once again. "Let's go get it."

Aaaand they're off to the hotel.


	24. Chapter 24

(Sorry for the lame update. Minor edits. Not to self: don't post at 3am when on NyQuil.)

"My bags are just inside the room." Teru said as they parked. "You can wait while I grab them, if you wan...okay, then." She shrugged and followed suit as Kurosaki opened his door and stepped out.

Kurosaki shut his car door a little too hard as he stared up at Teru's hotel. "You stayed here last night?"

"Uh huh," she answered innocently, oblivious to his scowl. "The rate was really good on and it was an easy walk to the test today." She'd almost made it to the hotel doors when Kurosaki grabbed her arm and swung her around. "What?" She looked around in an instinctive search for trouble. "What's the matter?"

"Are you crazy!?"

She was so tired at this point that she just stared up at him in confusion. "Huh?"

He waved a hand towards the rest of the street. "Look at this street! It's shady and there are…," he walked to the sidewalk and pointed imperiously down the street. "There are love hotels down there!" he yelled. "I can't believe you stayed in this dump!"

"Kurosaki shhh!" She glanced back at the doors to the hotel as though they could hear them. "That's just mean. This is a nice hotel." She walked to him since he was still glaring down the street and took his hand. "How do you know what kind of hotels they are? Anyway," she said quickly in case he pointed out the lurid signs. "those places are waaaay down the street," she patted his arm as she pulled him towards the entrance. "Stop pulling your hair. Plus, I'm obviously okay, right?"

"Hmph," was his grumpy reply as they came inside.

Teru waved at the person at the desk and quickly shoved Kurosaki towards the elevator when it looked like he was going to say something to the clerk. "And here we go!"

The sigh she gave as the doors closed quickly turned into a squeak as Kurosaki caught her up in bone crushing hug that raised her to her toes. "Kurosaki!?"

One big hand pressed her head into his chest. "I hate it when you're in danger." He said quietly, yet vehemently. "It drives me crazy!"

Teru had to shove an elbow into his ribs to get him to loosen up enough so she could breath. She felt like following that up with a foot stomp that would make him let her go completely, but she could feel the slight tremor in his arms as he held her. "Kurosaki, listen to me." She put her hands on either side of his face and looked into his . "I wasn't in any danger, got it? I'm perfectly safe and there is no one out to get me."

"But this place..."

"Nope." She shook her head and gave his cheek a little pat. "I read the reviews. I looked at the location." She raised a little higher on her toes and gave a little tug until he lowered his head enough that she could give him a quick kiss. "You can trust me to not be stupid about my safety."

He opened his mouth to reply, but the doors opened to her floor. The wizened old couple coming in had Teru jerking out of his arms and escaping the elevator with a blush.

The older man held a hand out to stop the elevator door for Kurosaki. "Well," he gestured with his cane. "Don't just stand there."

"Yeah." The man's wife gave a cackle and poked him in the ribs. "Go get 'er."

He exited with a mumbled thanks and a fervent mental promise never to embarrass young people when he got old. He went up to the room number Teru had told him and knocked.

She opened the door with her backpack in one hand and the wheeled overnight bag in the other. "Here it is," she said, overly-brightly. "Guess we can go now. Hey!" She dropped the bag as Kurosaki put his hand on her forehead and pushed her back into the room.

He closed the door with a click. "I didn't get my turn."

She backed up into the room as Kurosaki slowly walked towards her. "Your turn?"

"Yep." He kept walking forward until the back of her knees hit the bed and she sat down with a plop. "So, you read a review." He folded his arms and stood towering over her. "You looked at a map. After everything you've been through, you think you're safe?"

His tone made her want to stick her tongue out at him, but his looming height made her think twice. "Well I..."

"You think because you survived being targeted by a multinational terrorist ring and escaped a fire-bomb of an island that you know how to handle yourself wherever you go?"

He spoke softly, leaning down until they were nose to nose and Teru had to lean back on her elbows or topple completely backwards. "Uh, Riko was looking with me, so, um, for this hotel, yes?" She squeaked.

"Nope," he said simply, echoing her earlier words. He reached down and took her hands and jerked them up, making her fall the rest of the way onto the bed. He pinned them above her head with one hand and climbed on the bed, kneeling over her as he enlightened her. "You've dealt so much with super-creeps that you've forgotten all about regular, run-of-the-mill creeps." He went to his elbows and changed his grip so he could gently brush the hair off out of her eyes. "You get a C. C+ tops."

Nerves (and not from fear) made her voice a little higher. "That's ridiculous!" She tried pulling her hands out of his grasp to no avail. "Not everybody's creepy."

"Hey, look at that girl," he said in a mocking drunken slur. "I think she's alone. We should go chat her up. Buy her drinks. Blah blah blah and other scary, totally plausible things."

That made her snort and actively wiggle for escape. "Will you stop it please. I promise to let you vet the next hotel I plan to stay in. How about that Mr. Over Protective?"

Her breathless giggles stopped abruptly as Kurosaki's weight dropped down to settle along her entire length.

"How about after this," he let go of her hands so he could weave his fingers into her hair. He used his new grip to tilt her head back, his own bending until each word he spoke was a hot breath against her lips. "You don't ever go to a hotel," he brushed his lips over hers. "Without me."

Teru could barely register what he was saying with his long, lithe body pressed against hers. He was using his elbows to keep from crushing her, but she could still feel everything. Everything. Her knees had automatically raised to bracket his waist when he'd dropped against her and his stomach (he was so tall!) rested warm and heavy against the junction of her thighs, moving subtly against her as he breathed in and out. She was acutely aware of how her (puny, but present) breasts were pressed tight against his chest under his weight. She was nervous, but the nerves were being drowned out by...him.

"Well?" He brushed his lips over hers without actually giving her the kiss she was now desperately craving.

"Huh?" She raised her head a bit, trying to follow his mouth.

Instead he dipped his head and pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to her neck. He reveled in her gasp and the involuntary arch of her body against his. "I said, from now on," he trailed sharp, biting kisses up her neck to her ear. "You'll only ever go to a hotel with me." He bit her earlobe. Her soft moan had him biting back one of his own. "Problem solved," he said raggedly before raising his head once more to look into her eyes.

Where Teru was ready for him. Her hands, which had been lying passively above her head in the same position in which he'd left them, came up to grab his hair. Tightening her grip, she pulled his head down those last crucial inches so their mouths could finally, finally meet in a full kiss.

Kurosaki's hands tightened in her hair as her mouth opened under his, her tongue immediately coming into play with his own in an eating, sumptuous kiss. No coaxing. No shyness. Teru kissed him with an air of desperation, her hands tugging him closer. He slid one arm under her back so he could hold her even closer. The other hand cupped the back of her head, angling it so he could kiss her deeper, harder.

When her legs came around him, her ankles locking around his waist, he raised his head, panting as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried for some control.

Which was immediately blown to smithereens when Teru, who had lost her grip on his hair, transferred her hands and attention to his neck and shoulders.

She ran her hands over his shoulders, dreamily testing the muscles under the fabric with her a rake of her nails. With his head raised, all she had to do lift a bit and she could reach the long column of his neck. The fine sheen of sweat fascinated her dazed mind and she flicked out her tongue to taste.

The sound Kurosaki made reverberated from deep his chest, and had the fascinating effect of tightening her nipples where they were pressed against him.

She made a softer sound in reply and pressed kisses along his neck, much like he'd done to her. He smelled so good, she thought hazily. He even tasted good. She lay back down and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Kurosaki," she sighed giving a little tug. She wanted him to kiss her again.

She probably had no idea she was wrapped around him, squeezing him with her arms and legs in an unmistakable rhythm. It was both a blessing and a curse that she'd worn pants to the test today, he thought ruefully. He removed his arm from under her and ran a hand down her side to her hip, making her arch as her breath caught. God, she was so sensitive.

He lowered his head and kissed her again, holding the reins on himself so tight that he was starting to tremble. He slid his hand down from her hip, giving himself one heart-stopping moment to test the resiliency of her butt, before sliding it down the back of her thigh. His plan was to unhook her legs, but when she slid her hands back into his hair, one hand stopping to linger and caress his ear, his hand clenched instead and his body bucked against hers.

Teru jerked out of the kiss with a cry, her head pressing back against the mattress as heady new sensations flooded her senses. Even when the lights behind her eyes stopped, the sensations kept coming, piling one on top of the other as Kurosaki laved attention on her neck, his panting breath hot against her throat as he moved his way down.

He nuzzled her skin through the open collar of her shirt, nudging it aside with his nose until he could dip his tongue into the hollow at the base of her throat.

"Kuroskai."

Teru hadn't even realized she'd spoken out loud until Kurosaki went completely still. Still lost in him, she gave a little tug on his hair that had him shuddering against her. "Kurosaki?"

She really, really needed to stop sounding all breathless when she said his name, he thought for a moment, then went back to thinking about coding and sutras. When her hands slid down to his shoulders he quickly reached out with both hands and pinned her arms above her head once again.

When they both gasped, he realized that more of his weight was on her than ever and their faces were once more centimeters apart. When she lifted her head to kiss him he jerked back, closing his eyes so he couldn't see the look on her face or how her eyes looked sleepy and glazed with passion.

Because of him.

Oh shit.

"Okay. Okay," he panted, eyes squeezed shut. "Um, sorry."

"What?" Teru was slowly coming out of the haze. She unhooked her ankles. One foot came to rest on the bed, but the other wrapped around his leg. His groan made her shiver and unconsciously undulate against him.

"Ah, shit," he buried his face in the bed beside her head. "Just," his muffled voice said. "...just hold still for a second, okay?"

"Okay," she sighed.

It took almost a minute for reality to edge into her brain. And when the rosy, fuzzy glow that had obscured all thought left, she realized that she didn't feel embarrassed. Much.

Instead, lying there beneath Kurosaki, his body as tight as a drum as he murmured nonsense into the mattress in an effort to calm down, she found she was nervous. She could feel shyness coming back (in a big sweeping blush, as a matter of fact), but not the embarrassed kind.

She felt happy. And in love. Big, floating clouds of sugary-sweet kind of love. She focused on calming her own breathing as she kept still and watched (and felt) the manic tension leave Kurosaki. And maybe that's why she wasn't wigging out like before, she thought lazily. She had felt the love in everything they'd just done. Every kiss. Every touch. It was like their bodies and lips were saying 'I love you', but without the words.

Ah. So that's what they meant.

She waited until Kurosaki heaved one giant sigh and levered himself off of her. Her foot, which had still been wrapped around his leg, slid down and off as he flopped himself down onto his back beside her on the bed. "Kurosaki?"

"Yeah, uh, sorry about that." He flung an arm over his eyes. "I kind of lost it there for a second. Or two."

She raised up on an elbow so she could face him. "Kurosaki?" she said again.

He moved his arm up off his eyes and used it to wipe the sweat off of his brow. "Yeah?"

She cleared her throat, glad his eyes were still closed. "Is that what it will be like?"

Kurosaki opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to look at her. He took in her blush and the way she worried the sheet edge she had in her hand. She kept moving her gaze from the sheet to his face. He reached out and put his hand under her chin to keep her eyes on his. "Better," he promised. "All that and more. Much, much more." He put the arm back over his eyes. "And now let's stop talking about it. In fact, let's not talk at all for a couple minutes, okay?"

"Okay," Teru sighed. She laid back down with a plop, savoring the floaty, champagne feeling (boss had let her try champagne once) in her blood. No wonder Rena thought they were idiots.

Kurosaki groggily fought his way out of sleep, as the incessant pounding noise would not stop. "Gimme a second!" He snuggled closer to Teru, enjoying the feel of her hair as her head rested on his arm and the softness of her as he lay spooned against her back.

The noise suddenly stopped and an audible 'click' came from the door.

He woke all the way up at the noise and it all coming back to him.

"Teru, wake u...".

The cleaning lady walked in, the 'click' being the sound of her override card to the room. The matronly figure put her hands on her hips and scowled at the fully-dressed couple on the bed. "Well, at least you're not naked." She tapped on her watch. "This room was yours until 5. It is now 5:30." She pointed to the door. "You folks need to get of here or they're going to charge you for another day. Ya' hear me?"

"Yes'm," Kurosaki murmured meekly. He shook Teru's shoulder. "Wake up!" he hissed. She stirred, swatting at his hand. "Our room time is up!"

"Now you look here," she lady said sternly, pointing a finger. "This is not one of those filthy pay-and-play love hotels." She pointed the same finger down the street. "You go on up the street for that."

"Ha!" Kurosaki crowed so loud that Teru woke all the way up.

"What!?" She jack-knifed up into a sitting position and came face to face with an angry looking woman. "Ahhh! What's happening?"

She had gone from a dead sleep to unexpected strangers and Kurosaki pointing a finger in her sleepy face.

"I told you those were love hotels!" He did a fist pump. "I told you so!"

"Huh? Oh, crap!"' She scrambled away from Kurosaki and off the bed. She bowed to the cleaning lady. "I'm so sorry! I took the university test this morning," she explained, keeping her head down. "I'm took one yesterday, too. We came back to get my things and I guess I just fell asleep." She raised up only to bow once more. And this time she was conscious of Kurosaki bowing beside her. "I heartily apologize for any inconvenience to you work and schedule."

The cleaning lady looked slightly mollified as the two of them came out of the bow. She looked at the (relatively) neat bed and not-so-discretely into the waste bin for...products and unbent completely. She nodded her head once. "Right. Then get going you two." She waved at the hallway. "They really will charge you again if they catch you in here."

Teru grabbed her bookbag and Kurosaki grabbed her wheeled bag. "Thank you so much," Teru said again. "We are really sorry."

She nodded, smiling at Kurosaki as he reached over on their way out and left a tip on the dresser. "No problem."

They walked down the hallway and stood silently in front of the elevator doors. They even got on silently, the door swishing shut behind them.

Teru finally cleared her throat. "Sooo, I'm guessing we fell asleep, huh?"

Kurosaki scowled at his watch. "Either that or all the clocks in the world are off by four hours."

"Right. Right." She nodded, stepping off as the elevator opened to the lobby. "Overslept it is." They left the hotel and went to the car, putting her things into the back of his jeep.

They both got in and sat there with the car turned off. They must have sat there looking out the windshield for more than a minute before Teru spoke once more.

"Thank you for coming to get me."

"You're welcome."

"I slept really hard."

"Me, too." Kurosaki took a deep breath and let it out. Then he started the car. "And I feel pretty good, too." He turned around in his seat to back up.

Teru thought of her day and how twenty minutes with him had made her forget the test that had become her worrisome world the past few days. Or weeks. "Kurosaki."

"Uh huh," He answered as he pulled back onto the main road.

"I love you."

He smiled at her. That big heartfelt grin that made her heart flop around in her chest. He reached out and took her hand as they drove back home. "I love you, too."

Birthday and anniversary coming up next! Thanks for reviewing :-)


	25. Chapter 25

It was two days until their anniversary and Teru was no closer to finding a present for Kurosaki. In desperate need of help, she dragged Rena and Haruka with her to the mall.

"I think you should get this."

Teru idly glanced over at Haruka and her absent-minded 'Mm-hmm' quickly turned into a gasp. She pushed her friend and the thing she was holding up for the entire world to see behind a tall stand of clothes. "Are you crazy? I can't get that!"

"Sure you can." Haruka ignored her and held the pink, wispy, frilly, and mostly see-through negligee up to Teru's chest. "See. The ruffles on the bra part make it look like you actually have boobs."

"Will you shut up," she hissed, looking around for potential gawkers. "Why would I get that?"

"It'll be Kurosaki's anniversary present." Rena walked up beside Haruka and the two looked at each other, rolling their eyes. "Duh."

"You," Teru said, pointing a finger at Rena, "are such a bad influence on her." Blushing ten shades of pink, she grabbed the garment out of Haruka's hands.

"Oh, please." Rena waved a hand and wrinkled her nose. "It should at least be black. Here." She held out a jar. "I think you should get this."

Teru took it suspiciously. The writing was so tiny and discreet that she was having trouble making it out. "What is it?"

"A massage oil with a homeopathic aphrodisiac mixed in."

Haruka smirked at Rena even as Teru fumbled the jar. "Are you kidding? Like Kurosaki's going to need an aphrodisiac after waiting all these years."

They watched as Teru tried to hide the jar and the underwear under a pile of t-shirts. "It's really more for her," Rena admitted. "You know, to try and loosen her up a bit. She's going to be a nervous wreck when they finally get down to it."

Teru stomped back over to her friends. "Are you two going to help me or not?" She rubbed her cheeks in an effort to make the blush go away faster. "Because right now your suggestions suck!"

Haruka elbowed Rena before she could say anything in response to that. "We're sorry. Really." She put an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the store. "Non-sexual suggestions from now on, right Rena?"

"If you want to be a killjoy, sure," was her reply. "What about something electronic?"

They all turned to the bustling store covered with posters for game systems, handheld devices, and every conceivable electronic device on the planet. Haruka and Rena turned to Teru, who was chewing her lip in thought.

"Do you think they have the Kinect for Xbox One?" She mused. "Kurosaki was just grousing because he bought a game and it turns out it needs the Kinect."

The two girls grinned and looped their arms through hers as they headed into the store.

* * *

Kurosaki looked at his watch as he waited for Teru in the lobby. They lived right down the hall from each other, for crying out loud. Why were they always meeting in the lobby? If he went to her door he could at least badger her into moving faster.

He had just taken a step towards the elevators to do just that when the doors dinged and Teru popped out, breathless.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I didn't see your message about what to wear until I'd already dressed so I had to change." She let go of him and stepped back before he could hold her to him. "Am I really late? Is this okay?"

Kurosaki looked her up and down. He always really, really enjoyed her in skirts, but her jeans...well now. He circled a finger, then pretended to ponder as she turned around. Oh yeah, he sighed. He loved how she looked in jeans. Her tshirt was new and featured the Tokyo University logo. He wondered if she'd picked it up after test while she was on campus.

"Good," he told her, taking her hand as she checked out his similar ensemble. "That's just what I had in mind. Did you bring a cardigan?"

She nodded and sighed herself at the way his baby soft T outlined his shoulders and back. "Where are we going that this is the dress code?"

"You'll see." He paused with his hand on the door and bent his head. "Happy Birthday, Teru."

She raised on her toes to meet him halfway. "Thank you." They shared a slow, tender kiss that had her smiling shyly as they parted. "Happy anniversary, Kurosaki."

"Oh," he held the door open for her, playing with her braided hair as she went past him. "Is that today?"

"Oh, you forgot too?" She teased as they headed towards the car. "That makes me feel sooo much better about not getting you a gift."

"Yeah, me too." He threw an arm around her shoulder, but just to hold her still as he went for her ribs. She shrieked and started to run for it, but he just picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to the car. "Thank god, huh?"

* * *

Teru sat in the car, fingers happily tangled with Kurosaki's as they drove into the Taito section of Tokyo. "I had a nice morning," she told him. "Riko woke me up with breakfast in bed and gave me this shirt." She pulled on the hem and looked down at Riko's alma mater. "She said if I choose Tokyo U. I'll need the gear and if I choose Chukyo it'll be a hometown momento."

He raised her hand for a kiss. "Are the results out?" He asked, referring to the tests she'd taken the week before.

"No," She blew out a nervous breath. "So this shirt could also potentially forever remind me of my failure and shattered dreams."

"Wow. That's a lot of pressure on one shirt."

"No kidding." She sat up a bit as Kurosaki turned into a parking lot. "Where are we?" She asked as he paid the attendant.

"What? Didn't any of your fancy pants schools ever take you to the National Museum?" He teased as they parked and got out of the car.

"Yes, but it's been years!" He laughed as she did a happy dance right there on the pavement. She grabbed his hand and headed for the walkway that led to the multi-building complex. "Did you know that they have one of the world's largest collection of ninja material? The only thing better than this would be to go to the Koka Ninja village itself!"

"Speaking of which...," Kurosaki pointed towards the stately front of the museum which was currently flying a banner that highlighted their special exhibits. "Look."

Teru stopped in her tracks as she read the giant sign. "'Special Exhibit: Koka Ninja Village and Ninja Mansion with live demonstrations'." She knew she was bouncing, child-like, on her toes, but she couldn't seem to stop. "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh! Thank you!"

Kurosaki caught her with a laugh as she threw herself into his arms. "Seriously, how are you not going into history?" He set her down, grinning as she grabbed his hand once more and hurried towards the entrance. "I see your love of the Koga is alive and well."

"Best. Gift. Ever," she told him sincerely as he bought their tickets. "You'll see," grinned at him. "After this I'll sign you up for the fan club and show you the secret handshake."

Nothing made him as happy as seeing her so happy. "Can't wait."

* * *

Several hours later they walked back to the car, both of them wearing souvenir t shirts, their arms full of brochures and gift shoppe bags. Teru giggled to herself as Kurosaki kept up a running commentary that had been going on for the past half hour.

"...and then there was that backflip thing he did with just one foot after that other guy threw him! And what about how he just disappeared? Huh?" They'd even gotten to take part in one of the demonstrations where they'd taught them how to break a fall and how to tumble. He'd set it up beforehand, which was why he'd had her wear jeans and a T-shirt.

"And then there's the gear." He opened the trunk to us jeep and set the bags down with a sigh. "And the trap doors and stuff. Teru," he said when he took a breath. "The Koga were amazing."

Teru looked up to the sky and pulled an exaggerated fist pump. "Finally. Thank you, God. Finally." She reached out and pulled the ninja hood off of Kurosaki's head and put it back inside the gift shoppe bag. "I told you so times infinity."

"Yeah. Yeah." He reached inside the bag and pulled out a package of throwing stars. "Did you get the shurican or did I?"

She reached in and pulled out a box of throwing daggers. "You got the shumai and I got the shurican, remember?"

"Oh, right. These things are sweet." He took the box from her and started to open them, but stopped when she hissed his name and slapped at his hands. "Oops." He looked around and waved at the glaring parents walking by with their fascinated children. He put it back in the bag with a sigh and closed the trunk. "Later, then."

Teru waited until they were back in the car and away from curious eyes. "Kurosaki?" She said before he could start the car.

"Yeah?" He said vaguely as he made swishy noises and chopped the air.

She reached out a hand and touched his cheek and he finally looked at her. She got on her knees and leaned over the console between their seats, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him softly. She pulled back and rested her forehead against his, nuzzling her nose against his. "I can't believe you remembered about the Koga."

"Are you kidding," he murmured as he stole another kiss. "You mean, forget about the poster on your wall, your ridiculous number of books on the subject, all the videos you rent, and that thirty page full marks paper you did for your history class last year on the topic?"

"How did you know about...," she started to ask, but was cut off with another kiss.

"Never underestimate my observation skills or my spy network, Miss Kurebayashi." He nuzzled her neck and thought about how it had even been one of the 100 questions that her brother had put to him in the labyrinth beneath the biology lab. "Kurosaki knows all."

"Then you know how perfect this was." She leaned forward again and simply hugged him, feeling tears prick her eyes as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and hugged her back. "Thank you."

He kissed her neck and let her go so she could sit down once again. "You're welcome."

He started the car as she buckled up. "Are you ready for lunch?"

She thought of the restaurant he'd taken her to last year and the fancy laputa pan dish she'd had. She looked down at her T-shirt and shrugged. "You bet."

Twenty minutes later she laughed as they pulled up to a dock.

One she recognized.

"Hey, isn't this where we..."

"Yep." He turned off the engine and grinned at her. "This is where we met after you tricked me into believing you were meeting Akira." His phone bleeped for an incoming message. "One sec. Wait here."

Kurosaki got out of the car and closed the door just as a cab pulled up further up the dock. Teru unlatched her seatbelt so she could watch him walk over to the cab. As she watched, a uniformed man got out and handed Kurosaki a duffle bag. He then went to the trunk of the cab and handed over a large box. The two men bowed to each other, then the mystery man left.

She got out of the car when Kurosaki stayed put and jerked his head towards the boardwalk. "Don't forget your cardigan," he yelled.

She was glad for the suggestion when she got out of the car. The wind was coming off the ocean as a light breeze, but it was still March. She shrugged it on as she walked over to him. "What was that? What's in the...oh, my god." The aromas coming out of the box had her all but drooling. "Please. Please tell me that's lunch."

He chuckled as she all but pressed her face to the lid. "It's lunch." He pulled it away and headed towards the picnic area at the end of the boardwalk with Teru trailing after him like he was the pied piper.

He held up a finger when they reached the tables, silently asking her to wait. He opened the duffel bag and removed a sparkling white table cloth, which he draped over the wooden table, securing it along the bottom with thumbtacks, of all things. He then pulled out two rolled up damask napkins, which he unfurled to reveal silverware. Then came the China, the glasses, and even a bottle of sparkling water.

He gestured for her to sit down with a sweep of his arm.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said demurely as she sat on the bench.

He set the box on the table and opened the lid with a flourish. "And today, straight from Merci's," said, mentioning a famous French restaurant. "We have," he removed a covered platter and set it on the table. "Lobster Thermidor with angel hair pasta and a cream butter sauce." Another dish. "Mushrooms with a bernaise glaze." And another. "Asparagus tips with, um." He closed his eyes as he tried to remember the menu. "Stuff."

Teru smiled at him, her eyes bright with delight. "Stuff?"

"Really good stuff," he clarified helpfully. He reached in and took out a single rose in a bud vase and put it on the table along with some serving utensils. "Well," he asked as he put the box on the ground and took a seat across from her. "Shall we eat?"

"Oh yes." She took out her handkerchief and dried her eyes, then picked up the Perrier. "Water?"

* * *

"And there," she pointed out as they walked hand in hand down the beach, pleasantly tired after their rich, luxurious, never-to-be-forgotten meal. "Is where you tackled me."

He rolled his eyes. "I did not tackle you."

"Uh, let's see, I ran. You chased me. And when you caught me, we both ended up on the ground." She poked him in the ribs. "How is that not a tackle?"

"I think you were too busy reading embarrassing, personal correspondence for all the world to hear to remember what actually happened?"

"I had sand in my hair," she reminded him. She paused, "and in my underwear."

He ran hand over his face. "Don't tell me that!"

"I'm just saying," she shrugged. "It was a pretty good tackle."

"And up there," he said hurriedly as he pointed towards the wooden stairs that led from the beach to the upper boardwalks. "That's where you ambushed me."

"You mean, that's where I tricked you into meeting me so I could tell you I knew you were Daisy, and that my brother's death was not your fault, and to come home?"

He thought about it for a minute. "Isn't that what I said?"

This time she rolled her eyes. "My mistake." She leaned into his side and sighed as she remembered how he'd cried after she'd said thank you for all the things he'd done for her and her brother. The hug he'd given her at that time, the wordless vow that said he'd never leave her side, was one of her most cherished memories.

Kurosaki looked down as Teru let go his hand to wrap her arms around his waist and squeeze. "You okay?"

"Never better," she sighed.

He stopped them where the boardwalk hung out over the water. "Here's the site of your famous cafe au lait." And where he'd blubbered like a baby he recalled with a wince. "Let's hope this stuff is anywhere close to yours." They sat down with their legs hanging over like they had before, only this time Kurosaki poured the drink from the thermos that had come with their meal.

"Mmmm," Teru closed her eyes at the first sip. "My coffee is put to shame and I completely don't care. What do you think?" She turned her head to find Kurosaki pulling an envelope out of his pocket. "Kurosaki?"

He held it out to her. "Part two."

"Part two of what?" She asked as she took it.

"Your birthday gift," he tugged on her braid. "Duh."

She bit her lip as she opened the envelope. "'Entrance certificate for Mayhadu Shika's Ninjutsu Dojo'," she read in a whisper. "Ninja lessons." She looked up at Kurosaki with impossibly wide eyes. "You got me ninja lessons."

"Well, ninjutsu lessons anyway. I can't believe after all that's happened that I haven't stuck you in a self-defense course before now. They have a dojo here in Tokyo and one in Nagoya, so whichever...oof!" He had reached out for the thermos to refill her cup, but knocked it over as Teru threw herself into his arms.

"I love you so much!" She pulled back and looked at the paper again before wrapping herself around his chest once more like a vine. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

He laughed and planted a hand behind him so he wouldn't tip over in her exuberance. "I'm glad you like it. Riko thought it was lame."

"Riko can stuff it. You are the best boyfriend ever." She carefully folded the paper and put it in her pocket, then she took his face in her hands and punctuated each word with a kiss. "Ever. Ever. Ever."

Kurosaki reached out and pulled her closer, scooping her up until she was sitting in his lap. He cradled the back of her head and kept her lips on his after the last 'ever'. Her arms slid back until she had them wrapped around his neck, while he wrapped one arm around her back, keeping her close.

They shared kiss after kiss, the mood soft and romantic. Still, Teru's breath hitched brokenly when Kurosaki finally pulled away to feather kisses over her face. "Teru," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"About the boyfriend thing."

She closed her eyes as he moved down to her neck. "Yeah?"

Another kiss. "I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore."

It took a moment to sink in, then Teru jerked back. His hand on her back meant she couldn't go far so she just stared, dumbfounded, into his solemn eyes. "What?" She whispered.

"I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore," he repeated. He brought up his free hand so she could see the ring. "I want to be your fiancé."

Her brain had stopped. That was the only reason she could think of why she said, "What?"

Kurosaki smiled at her then scooped her into his arms and stood up. He deposited her frozen figure on her feet, kissed her once more, then got down on one knee.

"Oh my god," Teru whispered as she snapped out of it. "Kurosaki..."

He took her hand, smiling tenderly as tears started to fall down her cheeks. "I went and talked to Soichiro yesterday. I told him that I what I was going to do today and I asked for his blessing." He kissed her hand at her small sob. "I think he would've been all for it, don't you?.

He waited for her nod then went on. "I've loved you for so long, Teru. These past few years have been amazing; getting to know you, not just as Daisy, but as myself." He held her hand up to his cheek and she felt the tears there. "And having you love me for myself. That is just unbelievable."

"And this past year," he let go of her hand and took a moment to wipe the tears off of his face with his sleeve. "Having you as mine has been a surreal, perfect dream that I don't want to ever end. Be my family. Be my wife." He held up the ring; a silver band, the filigree perfectly woven into a raised daisy with a diamond nestled in the center. "Teru, will you marry me?"

Teru took a deep breath as she tried to stop crying and looked into Kurosaki's eyes. There was everything she'd ever wanted. Ever needed.

She nodded.

"Nope," he shook his head and pulled the ring away. "You gotta say it or it doesn't count."

She laughed even as she stamped her foot. "It does too!"

"Saaaay it," He waggled the ring in front of her nose before jerking it back out of reach. "Say it or I'm telling Madame Tamane."

"You are impossible." And perfect. "Fine." she took a deep breath and let it out. "Yes," she told him simply. "Yes, Kurosaki Tasuku. I will marry you."

"Damn straight, you will." He took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

They both stared at it for a moment, immobile.

"What...what do we do now?" Teru whispered.

"Well first of all..." He got up off his knee and picked her right up off of her feet. "I get to kiss my fiancé for the first time."

Which he did slowly, thoroughly, and passionately until he found his knees getting weak. Not, he realized hazily, a great thing to have happen right by the water. He broke the kiss and just hugged her, fighting tears once again as the reality fully sunk in.

Teru clung to him in much the same condition. "I love you, Kurosaki."

He squeezed her one more time and set her down, cradling her face for one more soft kiss. "I love you, too."

He picked up the thermos and their cups, then they linked hands as they walked back to the car where they'd already stowed the repackaged duffle bag and box from lunch.

She raised their hands so she gaze at her beautiful, perfect ring. "Do you think everyone's going to be surprised?"

"Nope."

"Why not?" She looked up at him with a bit of a pout that he wanted to kiss right off her face. "Did you tell them you were going to propose today?"

"Nope," he said again and brought up her hand so he kiss the ring. "But think about it. According to 'society'," he used air quotes. "We're already engaged."

"Yeah," she pressed. "But our friends know that was just a front for us dating."

"Then there was the time about a year and a half ago that I asked Riko what kind of metal you liked in your rings."

Her hand covered her mouth. "But that was before we started datin..."

"And then about a year ago I dragged Andy with me to find a good metal-smith." He wrinkled his nose. "Not to go into too great a detail, but that man does know where to get the best custom jewelry made."

"But how..."

"And Boss picked it up for me one day about seven months ago when I couldn't get out of work." He stopped walking and pulled her close for another lingering kiss. "After that it was just a matter of when.

She laid her head on his chest, enamored by the fast beat under her cheek. "So why now?"

He tipped her chin up so that their eyes met. "Because I didn't want to wait. Like I said," he dropped a kiss on her lips before starting to walk once again. "I didn't want to be your boyfriend anymore."

She laughed. "My friends are going to love this story." She sighed as she got into the car, holding her ring up to make sure it was still there. "This is the best anniversary present ever, Kurosaki."

He stopped putting on his seatbelt and slapped his forehead. "I knew I forgot something!" He turned to her. "I did it out of order. That's not your anniversary gift."

"Really?" She said dreamily, not really caring. "Was the ninja lessons my anniversary gift?"

"Nope." He started the car and turned in his seat to back out. "I quit smoking," he smiled at her heartfelt, joyful gasp. "Happy anniversary."

NEXT: The rest of the birthday/anniversary and then graduation!


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry for the wait! A new boss and a family vacation have made very little writing time. This is a short one, but the next is a doozy. More to come soon?**

Teru and Kurosaki held hands as they rode the elevator up to their floor, sharing lingering kisses and soft murmurs. . Teru raised her hand and sniffed as she looked at her ring. "I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"Nope." He raised their clasped hands and kissed her fingers. She'd been asking the same question every ten minutes or so. "Is this what you dream about when you dream of us?"

"Uh, no." She blushed bright pink as Kurosaki smirked at her with a raised eyebrow. The doors dinged just as he opened his mouth to ask a question she didn't answer. "Oh look! We're here!"

The smirk turned into a grin as she tugged him out into the hallway. "Okay, we'll get to that...later. " They stopped in front of her door and he took both her hands in his. "Happy birthday, Teru."

"Thank you," her eyes grew wet as she thought of her perfect, perfect day by his side. "This was the best day ever."

"Me, too." He ran his thumb over the ring. "Thank you for saying yes."

"It was either that or scream it."

He chuckled and raised the hand that now bore his ring for a kiss. They were still in that pose when the door beside them was thrown open.

"Surprise! Happy birthd..."

The shout trailed off as her school friends as well as took in the tableau before them.

Teru and Kurosaki looked at each other, the ring, and then the open mouthed group at the door. "Um..."

"Oh, my god!" Haruka and Rena reached out and grabbed her hand away from Kurosaki to gape at the ring. "You're engaged!"

Kurosaki winced as all the women screamed and yanked his new fiancé into the apartment leaving Boss, Andy, Kiyoshi, and Akira to stare at him from the doorway.

He braced his feet as they came out and formed a loose circle around him. "Uh, hey guys."

Boss stood in front him and crossed his arms over his brawny chest. "So...you're engaged now?"

Andy reached out and casually brushed a hair off of Kurosaki's shoulder, making him flinch. "That's what it looked like to me. Kiyoshi?"

Kiyoshi crossed his arms like Boss and regarded him with narrowed eyes. "I saw a ring. Didn't you, Akira?"

"No," Akira said snarkily from behind Kurosaki. "But I did hear a bunch of girly squealing and the word 'engaged'. So how about it?" He poked him in the back and grinned as Kurosaki's fists clenched. "Did you ask her or what?"

"Yeah." Kurosaki took a deep breath and smiled, despite himself. "I asked her today."

Boss took a step closer and cracked his knuckles. Kurosaki winced and braced for a headlock or worse, only to find himself pulled to his toes in a bone crushing hug.

He gasped for air as Boss squeezed the air out of his lungs. Everyone congratulated loudly as they pounded him on the back, punched him in the arm, and scrubbed at his hair.

He pushed out of Boss' embrace just as Akira loudly said 'I can't believe she said yes!".

Kurosaki was about to deliver a succinctly rude reply when an icily haughty voice interjected from the doorway.

"I beg your pardon. And what else would she say?"

"Ah, Madam Tamane," he turned to the regal lady standing in the doorway and gave a short bow, then swatted the emotional Boss' hand away as his friend tried to ruffle his hair once again. "This is a surprise."

"It shouldn't be." She sniffed and crossed her arms. It gave her no end of delight when the boisterous group fell completely silent before her. "Miss Riko invited me to Miss Kurebayashi's birthday / graduation party so that I could take some photos for your portfolio." She tapped the camera hanging around her neck. They'd obviously missed the flash as she'd taken a shot a moment before. "It's part of the package."

"As is," she continued, "keeping us informed of all the couple's parties, big events, and especially…," she tapped on her ring finger. "engagements, Mr. Kurosaki."

"Seriously, it just happened." Kurosaki hunched his shoulders even as he rolled his eyes. "And you're here anyway, right? So, no big deal. Win-win."

"Hmm." She raised her camera and took a quick, impulsive shot of the groom-to-be surrounded by his friends. All of whom had stepped in to flank him protectively when she'd chastised him. "If you're all done out here, come inside. Some shots of the two of you will look fantastic on our website. Oh, and Mr. Kurosaki?" Her smile was warm this time as she turned back to the door. "Congratulations."

The men all stood there for a second as the door closed behind her.

"What crawled up her butt?" Akira finally asked into the silence.

"Romance, my friend." Boss said as he slapped Kurosaki on the back, pitching him towards the door. They all followed, opening the door to the sweet sound of female voices. "That and true love does that to some people."


	27. Chapter 27

Teru looked over her shoulder at Kurosaki as she was tugged into the room, only to lose sight of him as the men stepped out and closed the door.

"They're not going to do anything to him, are the...ack!" She squeaked as the bouncing group hug from her friends cut off her air.

"Alright, alright! Let her breathe."

Teru deep a relieving breath as they stepped back...and someone pried Haruka off. "Thanks, Riko."

"He did it." Riko took her hand and studied the ring. "The bastard actually did it."

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Teru asked nervously. Out of all their friends, it was Riko's reaction that she was most nervous about. "It fits and everything."

"It better." Riko ran her thumb over the small diamond. "Oh, hell. Congratulations!"

Teru didn't squeak this time as Riko yanked her off her feet in a hug, but instead wrapped her own arms around her friend and squeezed. "Thanks."

Riko dropped her back on her feet and pulled out a handkerchief to mop her eyes. "Soichiro would be so happy." She paused with a sniff. "And territorial. He'd be so happy and jealous, I just know it." She sighed. "I'll have to lecture and threaten Tasuku about making you happy on his behalf."

Teru laughed and took a tissue that someone handed her to wipe her own eyes. "I think I've heard you deliver that speech a few time already."

"Once more won't hurt. Oh!" She gestured to someone behind Teru. "I forgot to tell you that I invited…"

"Madame Tamane!" Teru turned with a smile and all but skipped up to the matchmaker. "Kurosaki asked me to marry him! Look! Look! Look!"

The grande lady smiled then blinked as the ring was brought a centimeter from her nose. "So I see. Congratulations." She held up her camera. "May I?"

Teru looked towards the door. "Oh, Kurosaki is still outside with..."

"I'll get him too," she soothed. "I just want to get a quick picture of the blushing bride-to-be." She quickly took the shot as a starry-eyed Teru smiled at her engagement ring. "There. And your friends." She waved them over and told the all to hold an 'ooh' and 'aah' pose around Teru and the ring. "Just this one picture and then we'll all remember that this is a birthday party and not an engagement party." She winked at Teru after she took the picture. "That will come later."

"Oh wow!" Haruka danced in place. "I almost forgot. Your birthday present is so perfect for this." She grabbed arena by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. "We are the best gift givers ever. Ev-er!"

"Are you trying to ruin a surprise?" Rena swatted Haruka's hands away with a scowl. "Shut up already." She smoothed her hands over her shirt and sniffed as she watched M. Tamane exit the front door. "I don't know who that woman is anymore. She didn't give two pins about my proposal."

"Idiot." Teru reached out and flicked Rena on the forehead and was fast enough to evade the same retaliation. "You mean your loveless, business-like engagement to an inept criminal mastermind?"

"Of course," she said with an arrogant toss of her hair, making Teru laugh. "I believe we paid for her to be happy for us. And I thought she was, until," she waved a disgusted hand, "you two made me realize she's a liar."

"She's not a liar, Rena." She tried for another flick, then yelped as Rena got her own in. "She's just a professional." Rena's 'hmphh' made her laugh. "And I'm sure both of your fees did make her very, very happy."

"As well it should." She sighed as Teru raised her hand up once more to stare at her ring. "And you? Will this make you happy? Because my money can also make certain hackers disappear if they don't make you happy."

Teru smiled and hugged her loving, cynical, marvelous friend. "I was already happy. He makes me happy everyday." She pulled back and brought her ring around where they both sighed at the glitter. "This just makes me ecstatic."

"That is sooo beautiful," Someone sniffed.

Teru and Rena stiffened and looked to their side, where every single person in the room stood huddled together as they listened to their conversation. They were even passing around tissues.

"Um," Teru blushed, but Rena just lifted her chin and started barking orders.

"Is this a birthday party, or were the invitations mislabeled. You," she pointed randomly. "Turn on the music. You, get the plates."

Teru just grinned as everyone hopped-to in a happy buzz of sound. She leaned against Riko as she put her arm around her shoulders. "This is the best day." She smiled at Kurosaki (as he appeared to be bruise-free) as he came in behind M. Tamane and Boss. His eyes met hers immediately and he grinned back. "Seriously. The best day ever. Nothing can top this."

Riko took a breath and pressed a hand to the butterflies in her stomach as she thought of what Kurosaki had shared about Teru's graduation present. "We'll see about that."


	28. Chapter 28

"There you are!"

Teru turned towards the door to the classroom and smiled at Hiyoshi and Rena. She got up from her now-old desk and hugged her friends. "Miss President. Mr. Vice President. Excellent speeches today."

"That's 'ex' miss president, if you don't mind." Rena tapped her with her diploma scroll. "And I have to admit that the #1 student didn't do too bad on her speech, either. Except," Both she and Hiyoshi winced in memory. "With that joke at the end. Oof."

"Oh, come on! That was hilarious."

Hiyoshi put a consoling hand on her shoulder. "You are many things, group leader," he told her solemnly. "But funny isn't necessarily one of them."

"Like that's a big secret." Rena rolled her eyes and ignored Teru's pout. "Whatever. I saw you with Kurosaki and Riko and everybody downstairs earlier. Boss stopped us and told us to bring all our parents and friends to the Flower Garden. What are you doing up here?"

Teru ran a hand along a desk and looked around the room. "I was just saying goodbye, I guess. Everything's going to be so different from now on."

"I'll say." Rena poked her in the side. "Have you gotten to model any of that lingerie Haruka and I got you for your birthday?" She ignored Kiyoshi as he looked at the ceiling and put his hands over his ears. "Is any of it still in one piece? Personally I think Kurosaki looks like a panty-ripper." She pointed a stern finger in Teru's beet red face. "He had to learn early not to rip the pricey stuff, okay?"

"Will you shut up!?" Teru knocked her finger away and fought not to cover her ears like Hiyoshi was still doing. "I already told you that we're not going to do anything until...until graduation," she choked out.

"Which iiiis...today," her best friend pointed out helpfully as she yanked Kiyoshi's hands off of his ears.

Teru put her hand to her stomach and blew out a slow breath. "Which is today."

"What?" Kiyoshi shook his head at both his friend and his girlfriend. "You think he's going to attack her the moment he gets her alone? Get real. Unless…," he looked around the empty classroom then pointed an accusing finger at Teru. "Oh my god! Were you two planning some sort of tryst in the school after the ceremony?"

"Get real." Rena slapped his finger down with a scowl. "She was happy to see us, remember? She would have kicked us out of here in a second. Besides," she ignored Teru as she put her hands over her beet red face. "Kurosaki has keys to every room in the building. He would have picked someplace much better than a classroom."

"What would I pick that's better than a classroom?"

The unexpected question coming from the doorway had Teru and Kiyoshi jumping, but Rena just waved a hand. "I was just saying that you'd pick a better place to mmphh!"

Kurosaki stifled a grin as Kiyoshi put his beloved a headlock with a hand over her mouth.

"Nothing!" Kiyoshi and Teru all but yelled, both red in the face as they both steered a wiggling Rena towards the door.

"I'll see you two at the Flower Garden, alright?" Teru shoved her two best friends out the door. "Good job. Congratulations. Bye bye!"

She closed the classroom door with a sigh and turned just as Kurosaki let fly his contained laughter. She put her hands on her hips and tried to bluff her way out of her embarrassment. "And what's so funny?"

"Those two," he said with an affectionate shake of his head. "We don't ever have to worry about honesty with them, 'cause either Rena will just say it, and damn the consequences, or Kiyoshi's face will give it away."

Teru sniffed without looking him in the eye and walked over to her desk to pick up her diploma. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she said nonchalantly, then squeaked as his arms came around her.

"Uh huh. Sure you don't." Kurosaki nuzzled the top of her head then rested his cheek against her hair. He stayed like that for a moment, trying not to smile as her initial stiffness and nerves gave way to her settling back against him with a sigh. "Did I say congratulations?"

"Yes. And thank you again for the flowers." She smiled as she thought of the dozen red roses and the very public kiss that Kurosaki had surprised her with at the end of the ceremony. "Riko took them with her to the restaurant so she could put them in water right away."

"Mm-hm," was his only response.

She smiled and closed her eyes as he dropped a kiss to her head. "Are you ready to go meet everyone at the restaurant?"

Instead of answering he asked, "Did you have fun at your party?"

Teru laughed and raised a hand to his cheek. "You mean my birthday/graduation/engagement party? Yes. Yes, I did."

"Please." He pressed a kiss to her palm but rolled his eyes. "That was not an engagement party. If it were, some of those gifts would have been for me."

"You mean us," she told him with a poke of her elbows...and tried not to think of the lingerie she'd received from her friends. That was probably intended more for Kurosaki than for her. "But still, everyone's probably at..."

"And all those parties you've attended this week?" He interrupted, referring to the multiple simple gatherings for her friends and the one enormous shindig that Rena's parents had thrown. "You got to tell all of your friends congrats?"

"Yeah. Those were a blast." She turned within his arms to face him, wrapping her arms around him to give him a squeeze. All those engagements had also meant that they hadn't gotten much time alone together.

"Teru." He waited until she looked up. "We're not going to the restaurant."

He smiled at the myriad of expressions that went from quizzical to heated embarrassment.

Endless cascades of scenarios went through her head as to why they would not be joining their friends. "Ah, we, um" she gave a little cough so her voice would stop squeaking. "We're not?"

"You've got a dirty mind," he winked at her, "and I like it. But," he dropped a kiss in the end of her nose. "I still have to give you my graduation gift."

She turned even redder and glanced nervously around the classroom. "Here!?"

The scandalized and nervous question had just enough hope in it to make him close his eyes and remind himself of the plan. "Seriously, Teru. Stop talking to that perv Rena so much." He dragged her close once again and rubbed her back as she laid her cheek against his chest. "We," he told her, "are going on a trip. Just the two of us." he put finger against her lips as she looked up at him. "Alone."

Embarrassment, nerves, and a good dose of fear all tangled with love to form a sticky mess in the pit of her stomach. She fought the urge to hide under the desk and reminded herself of all the times in the past where she'd been willing (if not ready) to pick white over beige panties. Instead, she buried her face against his chest and held him tighter. "When are we leaving?"

Kurosaki let out a breath he hadn't been aware of holding. "Right now." He petted her hair. "Riko packed a bag for you and I have it in my car." He felt her tremble, just a little, and nod against his chest. He put a finger under her chin, tipping it up until her eyes met his. "Hey, chill out," he commanded with a quick kiss. "I'm not going to suddenly jump you because you graduated today. Okay?"

She nodded with a slight look of relief, then changed her mind and shook her head in shy, disappointed confusion. "You're not? But you said..."

He shut her up with a kiss, drawing it out sweet and slow until her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was swaying against him. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "You," he whispered. "are killing me. We are going to Nasu," he told her softly, naming a resort town in the highlands that was famous for their hot springs. "We're staying at quiet little inn for the entire week. Just you and me."

He ran a soothing hand over her back as he could all but feel her nerves. "And there," he pressed his lips to her forehead, her cheeks, her lips. "I'll spend a few days wooing," he smiled at her quick giggle. "And seducing," he smiled again, but this time at her quiet gasp, "my new fiancé."

She touched a finger to her engagement ring and sighed as his kisses moved down her neck. "Um, does that mean that I get to seduce you too?"

His arms tightened around her for a brief moment before he took a deep breath in and out and loosened his hold. "And after a few days," he continued, ignoring her question for his own sanity's sake. "When you're more...comfortable," he grazed his teeth along her jaw. "When you're all warm and loose from the hot springs," he bit her earlobe and reveled in the jerk of her body against his. "And from my touch..."

He stood tall once again to look down at Teru, who opened glazed eyes to meet his. "That," he told her, leaning down to whisper against her lips. "Is when I'll jump you."

"Oh." She sighed dazedly. "Okay," then she moaned as he dropped his head those last few centimeters and kissed her in such a way that all thoughts, all nerves and worries just dropped away until there was only Kurosaki.

He groaned a little himself as one of her hands went into his hair, her nails raking against his scalp as their kiss went deeper. "Okay," he gasped, lifting his head suddenly and pulling her into a tight hug as they both tried to catch their breaths. "Okay. Uh," he took another breath as his voice had come out in a wheeze. "Right, so. Trip." Kurosaki deliberately let go of her and stepped back, clearing his throat as he smoothed the front of his suit. He looked at Teru to find her taking deliberate breaths and straightening her uniform. He held out a hand. "You in?"

Teru looked at his hand, then up at him. She took one last breath and put her hand in his. "I'm in."

His grin was quick and infectious so that they just stood there for a moment, smiling goofily at each other before he gave her hand a tug. "Then let's go."

She took one step then shrieked as Kurosaki picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "What are you doing?" She laughed as he took a moment to look around the classroom.

He curved a warm hand around her legs. "This is how we met, remember? Well, how you met me, anyway." He adjusted his grip to keep her skirt down as he headed to the door. "I hauled you out of the classroom like a sack of rice then, too."

"You were such a jerk," she cheerfully reminded him, then yelped as he pinched her in a handily accessible spot. They stepped out into the hallway at that moment and several students turned to look at them, so she couldn't retaliate in kind. She patted him lovingly on the back. "I'm so glad you did, Kurosaki."

"Yeah." He stepped outside and headed towards his car with her still on his shoulder. They waved at their friends, who either gave them the thumbs-up or rolled their eyes. "Yeah. Me, too."


	29. Chapter 29

"Nasu. Nasu. Nasu."

Kurosaki looked away from the road for a moment at Teru's mutter and found her tapping away on his smartphone. "What are you doing?"

She bit her lip as she clicked away on the tiny keyboard. "I'm looking up the town we're going to."

He swallowed a chuckle as she gingerly poked at the touch screen. He'd long since replaced her original 'Daisy' phone that had gotten ruined on the island, but she'd insisted on a cheap, simple model, one with just text and phone. Because of that (and her being poor), she was unused to such tech except when she fiddled with his. Heck, he was impressed she'd been able to get on the Internet. "It's a town with hot springs," he shrugged. "What's there to look up?"

She sniffed and kept tapping. "Where is it, exactly? What kind of hot springs? Mineral rich? Sulphurous? Milky? Can I get black eggs there?" She rambled, speaking of a typical hot spring delicacy. "Is there anything else there to do like hand gliding or mountain climbing?"

"Um, I think it's called hang gliding," he interjected, amused and relieved at her rambling. She'd been so nervous when he'd stuffed her into the car at the school that she'd been beet red and silent for the first half hour of their trip up north. He'd tried to ease her mood by talking about the ceremony, which had included Rena and Kiyoshi presenting him with a plaque for faithful service (which had made her 'snrk') to the school as it was his last day. He'd talked about the Ministry job and the training period he'd have to endure for most of the summer before he took his official post. He essentially talked about anything but the next week. It had worked, too.

Teru had finally calmed down enough by then to ask him about his new job. She'd reached out and took his hand when he'd admitted that he'd miss seeing her at all hours of the day at school and having a bevy of slaves to push work onto.

He did not seem to appreciate her consoling 'poor baby'.

Now, three hours into the drive, she was finally talking about the trip. He smiled as she talked about everything but 'that'. He understood how her mind worked. She like to plan, make lists, and learn new things. If he'd told her about their destination even a few days ago she would have had entire ream of information ready to go. He also understood that she was keeping herself busy now so as not to focus on the one aspect of their relationship that was going to change this week.

He rolled his shoulders and tried not to think of it either, but for a different reason.

"What's the name of the place?"

"The Green Mist Inn," he told her, then quickly reached out and took the phone from her before she could look it up. "Ah ah," he tucked the phone into his jacket despite her protests. "I want it to be a surprise."

"Please?" Teru put her hands together in supplication. "I won't look up the inn, but I could see what else we could do and what restaurants we could go to and maybe a..."

"Teru."

She closed her mouth and sat back in the seat, aware, as he was, that she had been babbling with renewed nerves. She didn't look at him when he picked up her hand, but she did sigh when he simply kissed her fingers.

"I'm really nervous."

"No!" He said in mock disbelief, smiling as he wove their fingers together. "I'd never have guessed."

"Go bald, Kurosaki," she laughed, and scrubbed her free hand over her face. "There aren't very many of us pure maidens nowadays, you know."

"I know," he said solemnly , even as he nibbled on her fingers. "Believe me, Teru, I know how to appreciate rare and precious things. And trust me when I say that even after,"

He looked away from the road for a moment and met her eyes with a look that made her heart and stomach jump in symphony. "What we have will still be rare and precious."

She squeezed his hand and blinked back tears, grateful that his gaze was on the road once more. "It already is."

"Yeah," he agreed gruffly. "It is."

She took a breath and steeled her nerves. "Um, how will it be different?"

"How will it be different, I mean, between us? Once we, you know... " she stuttered, keeping her eyes firmly on the road ahead. "Will everything change? Will you feel different about me? Will I feel different about you? I mean," she swallowed and clung to his hand and finished softly, "What if you're disappointed?"

He didn't answer for a moment, but he did let go of her hand. She glanced over at him and got doubly nervous when she saw the serious look on his face as he stared at the road. "Kurosaki?"

"One second. Wait one second."

She jumped a bit as he made a sudden turn into a lot by the road, filled with empty trucks and canopied by trees. He parked between two towering semi's and then killed the engine.

"Um," she tried warily as he, still without looking at her, adjusted his seat so that it sat all the way back, then tilted the steering wheel all the way up. "Kurosaki, what are you...eep!" She helped as he deftly unbuckled her seatbelt and then scooped her into his lap.

Kurosaki took his time, moving her around until she sat astride his lap with her legs on either side of his. Even in this position, he was still taller than her, so he tipped her red face up to meet his. "Sorry," he said, lifting a finger to tuck her hair behind her ear. "But I couldn't answer those questions while driving."

"Ah, sorry." Her mind had blanked at his quick ministrations. And his thighs were so hard and hot under hers and she she didn't know where to put her hands, so she wrapped them around herself. "Sorry," she said again when he just sat there, staring at her face and playing with her hair. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

He gave her a loving smile that was wicked enough at the edges to have her legs momentarily clenching around his. That made his smile drop and his eyes heat. Teru could feel her breath coming shorter and faster, especially when his hands dropped down to sit on her waist.

His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips and he bent forward, only to lean back with a quick jerk when Teru lifted her face in welcome. "Not yet," he said with a shake of his head, and Teru didn't know if he was telling her or himself, but the rasp in his voice did nothing to help her breathing. "You didn't make me uncomfortable, Teru," he told her. "I want you to ask me anything. About anything, understand?"

She nodded and gave him a shaky smile. "Yeah. And you too."

He laughed and leaned his head back against the headrest as he closed his eyes for a moment. "Don't tell me that right now. I'll just ask what color your panties are or..."

"They're white."

Teru was glad his eyes were still closed so he couldn't see the color of red that her face had to be right now. He'd stopped breathing, she realized, for a full second, then she jumped as his hands clenched on her waist hard enough to bruise.

She saw his mouth move and realized he was counting to ten, so she sat very still and tried not to die of embarrassment until he finished.

He opened gleaming eyes and loosened his hands. He cleared his throat. "Sorry, and...thank you," he gave her a quick, biting kiss before settling back. "It's so different from getting punched or being told to 'go bald' that it threw me for a moment." Holding her gaze, he ran his thumb over the curve of her hip, making sure to rasp slowly over the faint ridge of her panties through her skirt. "And that information will hold me for days, so thank you."

Her throat had snapped shut at his brief touch so she just nodded, barely aware that her hands were now braced on his chest.

"Anyway," he coughed. "You had questions, right?" He waited for her nod. "Then here's an answer: If you're in love," he said simply, looking her straight in the eyes, "then making love is a oneness of body and spirit that's not like anything else. It's a whole other way to communicate," he raised a hand to cup her cheek, and felt his heart tumble for the millionth time when she leaned into his touch. "It's a way to say 'I love you',,'I missed you," 'I'm sorry', or 'thanks for taking the trash out'." He dropped his hand back to her waist with a smile as she snorted. "Anyway," he continued, "it can say all those things without saying a word."

She stared at him, her embarrassment at her position and the topic fading away at his words. "That sounds amazing."

He shrugged his shoulders. "There's also the mind-numbing, blissed-out, pleasure factor," he mentioned casually. "And let me tell you," he said with a grin. "That part is aaaaaawesome."

Teru leaned forward and rested her head against his chest as she laughed. "Right. That. I forgot about that."

"Girls always do seem to forget about that part," he murmured, then yelped when she pinched him. "Not that I anything about that, of course."

"Of course," she snickered, then grew quiet. "But you have been with other women. It's okay," she reassured him when she felt him tense up. "You've been a grown man for a long time. But still," she gripped his shirt a little harder. "I don't know anything. How to do anything. I'm an A cup shortie! How will that make you happy at all?!"

"Don't be an idiot," he grabbed her shoulders and leaned her back until they were nose to nose. "Because it's you," he told her fiercely, softly, then briefly kissed her with the same intensity as the words that followed. "Because you already make me happy just the way you are. And the rest," he kissed her again, a simple press of lips that was filled with love and longing. Her head was spinning when he finally lifted his head. "The rest is icing on what's already the best cake in the world."

Her eyes grew damp as he put his hands back on her waist and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Kurosaki."

"I've been in love with you for a really long time," he said quietly. "I know your head and your heart better than I know my own. And this week," he kept his eyes on hers as he slid his hands down from her waist to the top of her legs where her skirt rode up her thighs. He wrapped his hands around her outer legs then slid them back, and back, until his hands were cupped around white lace that covered her cheeks. He didn't do anything else, he just reveled in the jerking gasp, then the groan that she gave, then the bite of her nails as her hands gripped his arms. "I'm going to know all of you. Until...," he leaned forward and bit her chin at the same time he traced the ruffled edges of her panties with his fingers, sliding a single finger under the elastic to rub at the curve of,her cheek, and the softest skin on earth. "Until I can map every part of your body by feel alone."

He bent his head and pressed a soft kiss against the junction where her shoulder met her neck.

And then he bit her.

"Kurosaki!" Already panting, lost in a sea of sensation at the feel of his hands, the bite had her flinging her head back as her body began to tremble and throb. She felt the black edges of panic creeping in like they had in the past when just kissing had gotten intense, and she shook her head. "What do I do?" she gasped as his tongue traced where her shirt met her skin. "I feel like I'm going to pass out if we don't stop." She gave a low and shaky moan when his nails scraped against her ass that had him groaning against her throat. "And I don't want to stop," she whispered.

He laid his head on her shoulder and tried to think past the reality of Teru in his lap, in his hands, and the taste of her on his tongue. "Breathe," he instructed. "You have to breathe. And," he told her as he took off her school tie. "You have to remember that what you're feeling is pleasure." He lifted his head a fraction so he could undo her shirt buttons to right below her collarbone. "Breathe," he reminded her in a puff against her skin since she'd already forgotten. "Tell yourself that the heat, the trembling," and could feel her trembling from every point of contact. "The haze that covers your mind until all you can feel is me," he used his nose to nudge aside the edges of the shirt, then simply drew in the scent of her. "It's all exactly what you want." He nuzzled the tantalizing hollow he'd uncovered then kissed his way back up her throat until he returned to her lips. "And you want more," he murmured against her mouth, and then he kissed her.

He was right, she thought hazily as he kissed her hard and deep, she did want more. She wanted this. Him, as his own passions slipped the leash and he all but devoured her. One arm circled her hips to pull her in closer and tighter against him, and the other gripped her hair and held her at the angle he wanted to kiss her deeper, harder, and longer than he ever had before.

So she kissed him back. She kept one hand clenched on his shirt in case, her fevered mind reasoned, he tried to get away, and the other slid into his hair to clench at the strands and pull him closer. She returned his feelings with the kiss, following his tongue with her own when he pulled it back, and echoing the movements he'd made with a softly passionate version of her own.

The result was electrifying. Kurosaki groaned right into her mouth and the sound had her clutching him tighter and slanting her head until she found the perfect fit. Soon even that level of purposeful thought was lost and she gave herself over to the pleasure.

God. Oh god, Kurosaki thought as they broke briefly for air. Then she tipped her head back and opened her mouth and he was nearly sucked back into the vortex. He closed his eyes against the temptation and put his hand on her shoulder to hold her back. That's also when he realized that he'd had one arm completely up the back of her shirt and a hand wrapped around the back of her neck. He opened his eyes as he drew it back out, spreading his hand wide so that he could feel everything on his way, her skin pure silk and the thin line of her bra a desperate temptation. When she closed her eyes and shuddered he had to close his again or risk losing it. He reached up and tugged off the hand that was still buried in his hair. "Teru."

The pure gravel of his tone had her knees going weak and she sat back abruptly, at which they both gave a gasping cry and looked down. During the kiss Kurosaki had slid further down the seat, pulling her closer until she actually raised up on her knees. The end result was that now she'd sat directly on the erection confined within his dress pants.

Teru closed her eyes and fought the nerves, the fear, and even the pleasure that resulted from the contact. She also tried not to move as the slightest movement created nerve-shaking friction that made her feel like she was going to pass out. The lace, with it's textured material, was not helping. "Kurosaki?" He twitched against her and she cried out, her hand flailed for purchase and ending up slapped up against the window. Her eyes closed and she realized she was whimpering. "Are," her throat was shaking so much she had to swallow and try again. "Are we going to make love now?"

Kurosaki opened his eyes and stared at her with a look so hungry that she reached for him once again.

"No." He caught her hand and slowly brought it to his mouth for a kiss. He then deliberately brought it back to her. "Not in that way. Not today." Without warning he picked her up by the waist and deftly plucked her back to her seat. He then scooted his seat back up, and moving gingerly, rested his forehead on the steering wheel. "And definitely not in a car."

She couldn't help but watch him as she waited for the shaking to stop. Then she noticed that the hands clenched on the wheel beside his head were shaking as much as hers. For some reason that both made her feel better and want to touch him once again. She pressed a hand to the hot knot in her belly instead. "Okay." She patted her hair. "Okay." She said again. When she said his name the next moment he raised a finger in a silent request for another minute. "Ooookay," she nodded and concentrated on her breathing.

Kurosaki did the same and tried not to fixate on every breath she took. "One second," he told her suddenly and got out of the car. He didn't go far, but leaned against the door as he waited for his hard-on to go away. Maybe if he repeated some sutras...

Teru looked outside the window, but all she could see was the broad expanse of Kurosaki's back as he leaned against the door.

She would just sit her, she told herself. Nothing was wrong and they did actually have to stop, even, she turned away from the window when she realized she was trying to outline the muscles in his back with her eyes, if there was one else around and they were in the middle of nowhere. Alone.

She smacked her cheeks. "Sutra time!"

Kurosaki opened the door ten minutes later and paused when he saw Teru sitting cross-legged on her seat with her eyes closed finishing an 'ohm'. He closed his eyes in order to avoid the perfect, perfect legs within his view (and reach) and just got in the car.

Teru opened her eyes with a sigh as the car started and unwound her legs. "Are you okay?" She asked shyly after they silently got back on the road.

"Oh yeah," he nodded with a sly grin in her direction. "You?" She nodded and he took her hand. "I didn't mean for that to happen," he told her honestly.

She stretched in the passenger seat and he almost ran off the road. "I'm glad it did," she told him with a very feminine smile. "I'm not nearly as scared as I was. I still am scared," she told him in a mock whisper that made him laugh, "but boy!"

She made a humming sound that she only did when she was curious or excited about something and he felt his blood began to heat once again.

"Is it always like that?" She asked innocently.

"No." He grinned when her face fell. "It's almost always better." And had the pleasure of seeing her mouth drop open.

She narrowed her eyes at him when he laughed. "Are you kidding me? Because Rena says that..."

She was impressed that he could cover her mouth with one hand while diving without aiming.

"I know," he started, "that you've talked to your friends and read about sex. But," he shot her a glance, "that was about sex, not making love. Got it?"

Her wide eyes regarded him for a moment over his hand, then she shook her head.

"That's okay." He moved his hand, touching a fingertip to her lips before returning his hand to the wheel. "I'll show you later."

She thought of what he'd told her earlier about the mind-numbing, blissed-out, pleasure factor and pressed a hand to her stomach in memory of the fiery inferno that has threatened to burn them both down. He was right (she hoped), this part was going to be awwwwwesome.


	30. Chapter 30

"Ahem. I have some questions for you."

Kurosaki glanced away from the road and over at Teru who was holding a notebook and a pen like a reporter waiting for a story. "Where did you get that?" Her nose was an inch from the page as she studiously avoided his gaze.

"I found it in my luggage," she told him absently. He'd noticed her rifling through the bags Riko had packed for her when they'd stopped for gas. "Anyway," she cleared her throat and put on what he thought of as her 'serious' face. "I have some questions. Well, really, Rena had some questions. Suggested some, really." Her voice got higher as she continued to ramble. "But I'm not going ask all the questions that she wanted me to ask, so essentially I picked them so they're my questions."

He rolled his eyes and smirked. "Are you sure you don't want me to just tell Rena the answers and skip the middleman?"

"No!" She all but hid behind the paper. "Forget about Rena! She was just helping me so can ask them or not?"

"I already said You can ask me anything." He made sure his sigh was extra loud so as to convey his impatience at her waffling. "Go for it."

"Have you ever been in love anyone before me?"

He glanced over once again. Her hair fell to cover her profile, but her ears poked out and fairly glowed in their pinkness. He smiled and rubbed his chin as if in thought. "Hmmm. Yes. Yes, I have." He kept his eyes on the road when her head whipped around to stare at him. "Midorin Ashota. Yep." He sighed as though in deep regret. "I used to think about her every day. Hung out with her every chance I could. I even dedicate a line of code I'd made to her. And then," he tapped a hand on his chest. "She broke my heart into a million pieces when I found out she's been seeing another guy. In fact," he shook his head sadly. "It turned out that she was married."

Teru purposefully unclenched her teeth and mentally chided herself for her automatic dislike of this...woman. "Oh no," she said in what she hoped sounded like real sympathy. "How long had you been together?"

"About a year."

His badly disguised snicker along with the look he sent her immediately had her narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

He shrugged. "Or at least however long first grade lasted." He threw his arm up with a laugh as Teru went to grab a handful of his hair. "Come on, give me a break! Everybody falls in love with their teacher at one point. It's in the rule book."

"I didn't," came the huffy reply as she settled back in her seat.

"Yeah. That's because you were holding out for a delinquent janitor," he teased. "But, seriously? No." He tapped a finger on the steering wheel and thought about his wild years and even about the time he'd fancied himself in love with Riko. "Even if I thought I was, I learned the difference once I fell in love with you."

"Me, too," she told him with a tender smile. Then she turned to her pad once again. "Okay, next question..."

He held up a finger. "My turn. When do you want to get married?" Her blank, open-mouthed stare made him scowl. "Don't look at me like that. People who are engaged generally get married at some point." He rolled his shoulders in irritation. "Anyway, I was just wondering if you wanted to do it while you were at university or if you wanted to wait until after."

He sounded so bad-tempered. God, he was cute! "Hey, grumpy-butt." Teru poked him in the arm and held up the paper. "Question #2: setting the date."

The frown was replaced with a look of surprise. "No shit."

"Absolutely none," she giggled. He reached out a hand and they twined their fingers together as they both chuckled. "Well okay, then. When do you want to get married?" She asked back.

"I say the sooner the better. Definitely within the next year or so." He kissed her hand. "Once you move back in with me it's 'til death do us part' anyway, so why not?"

"'Why not', he says. You're sooo romantic, Kurosaki," she teased, even as happy butterflies filled her stomach. "But I agree." They smiled at each other sappily. "Sooner than later."

"But not until after you've gotten used to school," he said with a decisive nod. "And you still haven't decided which school, so we might have to move."

She listened in dazed wonder as he enumerated the decisions they had of them in the next couple of months. He talked so clearly about their everyday lives, so matter of factly and sure as though he'd thought about this for years. She had to sniff to hold back the tears.

"What!" His grip on her hand tightened as panic infused his voice. "We don't need a second bedroom that badly! Or bikes. What? What'd I say?"

"Nothing." She ran a hand under her nose. "That all sounds perfect. You're perfect. I just love you."

He eyed her warily. "And that makes you tear up? That's stupid."

"Fat lot you know about girls," she laughed.

"Maybe I just don't want you falling asleep before we get there," he teased. "You go out like a light whenever you cry. I don't want to have to carry the luggage plus you inside once we get there."

"No crying," she promised. Because it was true. "Okay, next question..oh. Oh, boy." She finished on a whisper as the GPS instructed them to get off at the next exit. Her eyes met Kurosaki's as it announced that they were only 10km from their destination. "Oh, boy!"

Kurosaki's heart swelled when the nerves in her voice smoothed out and turned to excitement. He patted her knee. "So, are you ready for your first onsen?"

"Yes!" She all but bounced in her seat as she pressed her face against the window and searched for the tell-tale steam of one of the natural hot springs that littered the surrounding mountainside. The green of spring had already exploded through the surrounding forests, obscuring the view, but even that made her Tokyo-native soul sigh in pleasure. "I wonder if this is a modern inn or if it's a ryokan?" she mused, speaking of a traditional, Japanese style inn. "Ooh. Ooh! Or if they'll have yukatas for the guests. They could have matcha powder and a little tea set with hot water waiting for us in the rooms!"

He made a turn onto a winding, one lane road that led deeper into the forest and up the mountain. "You'll find out in another minute."

"Kurosaki." Teru smiled at him over her shoulder. "This is an amazing graduation present. Thank you."

"You're welcome, but you know, this is a present for me, too." He rolled his eyes and reached out to give her a flick on her forehead at the look she gave him. "Not because of that, jeez. I," he intoned grandly and put a righteous hand to his chest. "Have a new job, you know. I also have a brand new, young, beautiful, smart fiancé with whom I now get to spend the week with in celebration of my achievements."

"Wow!" She said with chirpy brightness and punched his arm in goodwill. "Good for you."

"Damn straight," he agreed with a nod. He tsked and shook his head. "It's not all about you, you know."

"You're right. So sorry." She rubbed her forehead where he'd flicked and gamely swallowed a chuckle as she settled back in her seat. "Please excuse my selfishness."

"You're excused." He gave a regal nod, then reached over to pinch her. "And stop giggling."

The last giggle came out as more of a snort before she composed herself once more. She was reaching over to retaliate when the sprawling, single-story wooden structure appeared down the road through an ancient arch across the road. They both went silent, staring as they drove down the last bit of road to inn.

And it was a ryokan, Teru realized as more of the inn came into view. It could have existed straight out of the Edo period and not look any different. A bamboo slate roof dropped over an intricately carved front door while the rest all but disappeared from view as steam and mist swirled around the structure. The steam blew away for a moment to reveal more buildings and porches, sprawled out into the woods and connected by rice paper walled hallways.

"Kurosaki, look." Lanterns that hung in the trees turned on one by one as they turned into the circular drive, the early evening light giving way to dusk and the shadow of the mountains.

Kurosaki parked in front of the steps and killed the engine. Teru was stuffing her notepad back into her luggage when he nudged her with his elbow and whispered, "Teru look. Look!"

She turned as the front doors opened and three women dressed in kimonos came out and stood on the stairs so that there was one girl on each stair. They created a colorful cascade as they each clasped their hands in front their obi and bent their heads in a formal bow.

Teru was so busy staring that the click of Kurosaki's seatbelt being undone made her jump. "Well?" He grinned as she sat there, still immobile. "Are you going to make them stay in that position all day?" He reached out himself and unclicked her belt. "'Cause I think they're going to hold it until we get out. I know." He held up a finger. "Stay right there."

"Why?" She asked as he got out and shut the door. "What are you...," she trailed off as he came around and opened her door. "Oh." She took a deliberate breath as he held out a hand. "Alrighty then," and put her hand into his with a nervous, loving smile. "Gambate, Kurosaki."

He laughed at her serious tone and kissed her hand. "Gambate, Teru." Then they curled their fingers together and faced the welcome committee with a bow of their own. "Good evening." They said together. "Please take care of us."


	31. Chapter 31

The women turned out to be housemaids and they escorted Teru and Kurosaki into the inn. Once inside, Kurosaki nearly tripped over one of the women as she dropped to her knees right in front of them and proceeded to ask for their shoes. One of her companions came as they removed them and kneeled before them also to offer toe socks and old-fashioned woven slippers.

He smiled as he could all but feel Teru bouncing in her toes at the old world gestures, footwear, and especially ancient look of the entrance hall.

"Welcome, honored guests, to the Green Mist Inn."

The two maids already on their knees stopped and turned to bow to the floor as the disembodied voice came from beyond the reception area. The third, who had gone out to the jeep, set down their luggage and bowed her head in respect.

Teru could hear the slow shuffle that meant the owner of the disembodied voice was getting nearer and braced herself. The way that the employees were acting usually meant, in her experience, that the boss was an unholy tyrant. Thoughts of the 'original' Madame Tamane went through her head just as she glanced down.

Kurosaki stopped playing with the toe sock at Teru's gasp. "What? What's wrong?"

She eyes her bag a tantalizing few feet away and wondered if she could snatch it and run to a restroom before more people saw her. "My uniform," she whispered to him behind her hand.

"What about it?" He mock-whispered back.

She closed her eyes in embarrassment. "I'm still wearing it." For everyone to see. As they came to a hotel. A grown man and a (seeming) high school student. "I forgot to change before we left."

"How could you have changed?" He asked, genuinely puzzled. "I carried you out of there over my shoulder."

An elderly chuckle interrupted Teru from slapping a hand over his mouth. "Good for you. I'm glad young men are still sweeping young ladies off their feet."

The shortest, oldest woman either of them had ever seen waved a cane at them before slowly coming all the way in to the room.

"Grandmoth..., I mean, Bosu-Sama," one of the attendants stood and hurried to her side. "Our new guests have just arrived."

The boss, or bosu, thumped her cane. "I've got eyes don't I? I heard them coming up the drive but you young ones beat me to the door, like always. How do you do," told Teru and Kurosaki. "I'm Midori Natori, the owner."" She pursed her lips and walked forward until she stood in front of the young couple. The girl with the engagement ring was plucking at her skirt with a red face while the blond hoodlum in the nice suit bowed in greeting after smirking at his girl.

Ha! She liked rascals.

"Hmm," she narrowed her eyes in an effort to hide her smile. "That is a school uniform, isn't it?" She shook her cane at Kurosaki after giving him a wink. "I hope you understand that we are not a love hotel, young man!"

He coughed to hide his laughter and put an arm around a mortified Teru, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Good Lady," he returned solemnly with a small bow of his head and a grin. "I'm Kurosaki Tasuku and this is my fiancé, Kurebayashi Teru. Thank you for allowing us to celebrate her graduation and my new job in such splendid surroundings."

"Yes, thank you." Teru blurted out. "Your inn is beautiful."

The craggy face broke into a smile and she reached up to pat Teru's shoulder. "You've got lovely manners, young lady. I like that in a guest." She reached out again and poked Kurosaki. "You should keep her."

"Oh, I am." He took Teru's ring hand waved in in the air. "Like I said, fiancé."

"Hmphh." But she took Teru's hand and nodded approvingly over the ring. "When I was her age I was already married with my second on the way. Doesn't do to dilly-dally."

"Grandmother!" Came the soft admonishment from one of the maids.

She patted Teru's flaming cheeks with a smile before turning to roll her eyes at her granddaughters. "Honestly, you girls are so fussy. Fine!" She turned and started her slow shuffle back to the corridor. "I'll go back to my rooms and stop embarrassing you and the guests." She waved a hand without turning around. "Again, welcome to the Green Mist Inn." She shooed away one of the girls with an impatient hand when she tried to assist her. "Stop that! Aren't you going to show these young folks to their room? They're probably dying to be alone, though that girl looks as green as a new tatami mat..."

The landlady's voice trailed off as she left the room and there was a beat of embarrassed silence...until Kurosaki started laughing.

She gave him a small kick. "Kurosaki!"

"Ah! Sorry." He took her hand as they followed the beckoning maid. "I like her."

"Yeah, you would." Then she sighed. "But I do, too."

He leaned down to whisper. "Did you know that 'green as a tatami mat' is a euphemism for...?"

"I know. I know!" She squeaked, had used the phrase often enough to describe her virgin status. "And will you hush? I can't hear her."

After a chuckle he stood up straight once again and tuned in to their guide's tour.

Lunch and dinner, they were told, could either be taken in their rooms or in the main dining room. Breakfast was always served in their room, they just had to fill out a form each day as to when, where, and what they'd like to eat.

Maka-chan, their guide, opened a shoji screen that took them through an inner courtyard filled with small, steaming pools, small seating areas, and lush plants on the way to their rooms.

It turned out that there were ten different pools on the grounds. All had different properties that gave them different colors, textures and smells. Most were large enough that they could be segregated by a small fence so that men and women could enjoy them at the same time while maintaining modesty from the opposite sex. Others, she explained, were small enough that they could only be used one group at a time and had to be reserved.

"These are ideal for family groups. Or couples," she said with a smile. "Although each room has a bath that is enclosed on the terrace." She inclined her head to Teru, who kept making happy and excited noises as they passed doors and signs describing the enclosed pools. "Is this your first experience at an onsen?"

"Yes. No!" She gave her forehead a little smack. "My parents brought us to one when I was really little, but I don't really remember it." And she'd been too poor to indulge in the local, but Tokyo-expensive, onsens. "I'm pretty sure it was nothing like this, though. What about you?" She asked Kurosaki.

"Nope." He shrugged. "My mom always said they were too hot. We always went to a nice, cool swimming pool."

"I think you'll find that there's nothing quite like a good hot soak. Ah, here we are." The guide stopped at a solid wood door and took out the key. "Please, honored guests, make yourself at home." She ushered them in and followed with their luggage.

Teru made yummy noises as they were given a short tour of the suite, which was a testament to Japanese architecture and design. Tatami mats that still had a faint green edge covered the floors. Large circular window opened out to the forest and the mists naturally created by the surrounding hot springs.

The first room had a short table and pillows for seating. Much to Teru's delight, there was a steaming tea service with an array of teas from which to choose (including matcha powder) as well as a small plate of mochi and fruit as a welcome snack. The second room, which could be enclosed by a sliding screen, held an state of-the-art entertainment center that made Kurosaki hum in delight. A wall with sliding doors held the closet and the futons that would be laid out for them each evening.

They both agreed that restroom counted as its own room. Polished grey slate covered every surface except for the tub that sat deep into the floor and was covered by wooden covers. Even the stools for washing up were slate (and heated!) and were built right in to the floor. The controls to everything were ultra-modern and could fill and empty the tub based on a timer. Even the floor could be preheated so the natural rock wouldn't feel chilly on bare skin.

They were shown to an outer door that opened to their own enclosed porch. There they found a large rectangular pool, filled to overflowing with pearl-like water.

"The water is drained and the pool washed every day." Maka showed them how water from the springs was fed into the pool. "It actually comes in clear, but we have additives to make this water meet your specific needs. This," she cupped a hand in the blue-white liquid. "Is a recipe meant to aid the travel-weary and the stressed." She let it trail through her fingers back into the pool. "We always offer it on the first night to guests, as you've often come from afar."

"On that note," she rose and led them back to the large closet. "Please feel free to use these yukata during your stay. They can be worn in any location here at the inn. You can also wear them if you decide to do some sightseeing in town." A few of the local merchants, they were told conspiratorially,would even give them discounts if they went in their yukatas.

She finished by showing them the short coats that could be worn over the robes and the offered to help them change, if needs be. They declined, and she left them with the promise to return shortly with some more refreshments and the evening menu.

Teru waited for the door to close, then promptly threw herself into Kurosaki's arms. "Oh my god! This is so fantastic! This is so cool! This is soooo Japanese!"

He spun her around, laughing at the sheer joy and excitement that shown on her face. "So do you want to stay or should we go back to that motel we saw back off of the highway?"

"Don't even joke about that." He set her down and she did a slow pirouette as she tried to take in everything all at once. "I can't believe you found such a perfect place. No, wait." She shook her head and hugged him once again, raising a hand to his cheek as he lowered his forehead to hers. "Yes, I can. All of this is so you."

"What?" He turned his head and pressed a kiss to the hand that was petting his cheek. "Kidnapping you? Come on, I've only done that three, four time, tops."

She giggled, but it was watery. "No. Finding something to do or a place I'd love. You always get it just right. And I love it here, Kurosaki." She slid an arm around his waist and stood on her tip toes so she could press a tender kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured, letting her lead the way as he stood still and let her kiss him her way, with small sipping kisses that gradually turned into a longer press of lips. His arms tightened around her until she barely touching the floor. Both her hands came up then and framed his face, her fingers rasping along his stubble as one hand slid back to tangle in his hair while the other stopped at his ear.

Her petal-soft fingers managed to trace just the outer rim of his earlobe before he shuddered...and set her an arms length away.

She nearly stumbled as he let her go. "Kurosaki?"

"Uh," he cleared his throat and tried not to pant as she stood there looking at him with puffy lips and dazed eyes. "Ah, sorry. If you haven't figured it out by now, my ears are kind of...sensitive."

She gave an adorable little frown that made him want to yank her back into his arms. "I know."

"Huh?"

She tilted her head quizzically and tugged on her own ear. "I said, I know. Every single time I've ever touched your ears you either shiver or jump a little." She smiled shyly. "I used to think you were ticklish, but then I noticed that if I touched them while we kiss you hold me a little tighter." She wrapped her arms around herself and gave a little shiver of her own. "Or you kiss me a bit...more." She scrunched up her nose in worry. "Am I not supposed to do that? Am I wrong and you don't like it?"

She got bit worried when his face turned serious and he took a step forward, crowding her backwards until her back was against the wall by the front door. He towered over her, putting a forearm above her head to lean on as the other hand rested on the wall beside her, creating a cocoon as he leaned down.

"Um..."

"Oh, I like it," he told her in a voice that was suddenly deeper. The slight rasp of it slid over her nerve endings and made her heart beat even faster. "Just like how you like it when I bite your fingers." He took her hand in his and did just that for a fleeting second that had her gasping. "Or how you go boneless when I suck on your tongue," he whispered in a breath of air against her lips.

He lifted a hand to her face, running his thumb along the edge of her lips or a fingertip along the edge of her brow, all while looking into her eyes. "I wonder what other magical spots I'll find this week, hmm?" He mused, ignoring her panting breaths as he placed a chaste kiss on first one cheek, then the other. "Are there any other places that will make my Teru gasp or shiver? Things I can do to you," he paused long enough rake his teeth over the tendons in her neck, making her shudder helplessly and grab onto his shirt. "That will make you dig those pretty, pretty nails into my back?"

She fought to keep her eyes open and her knees locked as he kissed his way up her neck. "You...you too."

"Hmm?" Came the unfocused response as he sucked on her earlobe.

With an inarticulate cry she lost the fight with her eyelids as her eyes all but rolled back into her head. She spent a few seconds (or thirty) drowning in sensation before she got the strength to push at his shoulders.

He only raised his head, his eyelids heavy and his breathing uneven as he waited for her to catch her breath.

"I said, 'you too'."

"Me too, what?"

She stopped him before he could go for her neck once again. "I want to know what you like."

He grabbed her hand before she could touch his ears and slowly pinned it to the wall beside her head. "We might want to wait on that."

"Why?" She reached with the other hand and found that one pinned too. "I want to make you feel good, too."

"You don't have to worry about that." He took in the picture she made, held in his grip, flushed and pretty against the wall and clenched his teeth as his system all but screamed at him for his control. "We'll want to wait so that I can take things nice," he leaned in and kissed her softly, a soft peck that belied the tension and heat she could feel from him. "And slow. I'm going to have you this week, Teru." Another kiss even as a soft moan escaped her lips. "And I'm going to make sure that you love it." Another. "I'm going to addict you to me, like I already am to you."

She moaned again, her mouth opening to follow his and seek a deeper kiss, but he just pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. "And to do that, princess," he rasped against her skin, making her head fall back like a flower wilting on a stem. "I'll need all the self-control that you could so easily strip away from me if you touched me like that." He lightly bit the line of her jaw and felt her arms jerk in his hold. "Understand?"

She opened glazed eyes and slowly brought him in to focus. His gaze was so hot, his focus so intense, that she felt the muscles in her thighs turn to water. She locked her knees before she could fall against him. She found she couldn't yet form words, so she just nodded, and even that taxed her coordination.

He took a deep breath and laced his fingers through hers where he still held them against the wall. He brought them down and kissed her hands, one after the other before just standing there patiently until she could stand on her own without the support of the wall once more.

"Do you trust me?" He asked,

She pushed her (now) slightly sweaty hair out of her face and told him the unvarnished truth. "Yes. I trust you."

"Do you want me?" He raised his fingers in air quotes and wiggled his eyebrows. "In that way?"

She giggled and swatted at him even as she pressed a hand to the edgy ache in her stomach. "Yes."

"Good. Ditto." He yanked her forward for a quick kiss before letting her go. "Now I'm going to go take a cold shower. Don't. God." He warned her quickly, his body tensing once again as her eyes started to drop down his body. "I'm going to go take a shower and change. You," he jerked his head towards the closet. "Should put on your yukata while I'm in there."

"Okay, um," she cleared her throat. "Maka-Chan will probably come back before you're done."

"I hope so," he muttered and escaped to grab his yukata.

The moment he was gone, Teru dropped to her hands and knees, closing her eyes and shivering as she gave in to the lingering sensations. He'd only kissed her, she thought, just like he'd done for the past year. But his words...oh, but his words had changed.

What would the the other changes be like, she wondered.

She sat back on her heels and tried not to think of the images that flowed in to her head at that thought. It was working until she heard the water.

And thought of Kurosaki naked.

She pressed a hand to her lower stomach and couldn't stop the low moan.

"Teru."

She looked up to find a shirtless Kurosaki staring at her hungrily from edge of the room. Standing as he was, without the suit jacket and her sitting on the floor, she couldn't help but notice the erection that strained the fabric of his pants. When she made another wordless, aching sound, she saw his fists clench and all the muscles in his arms and chest tighten.

He'd taken one purposeful step towards her when a knock came at the door.

He stopped, a muscle ticking in his jaw as waited a beat before changing direction and grabbing his one piece of luggage. "Forgot this," he told her with a voice full of gravel.

She nodded, breathless all the more for what had almost happened. She waited until he'd ducked around the corner once more to the restroom before standing up on shaky legs. She slapped her cheeks twice for good measure, then went to open the door.


	32. Chapter 32

Kurosaki finally got out of his extra long shower, during which he'd made damn sure he'd have better control around Teru tonight. He'd clunked his head against the bathroom door in self-admonishment once he'd made his escape. Akira had poked at him tactlessly earlier in the week once he'd found about about the trip; wanting to bet on how long Kurosaki would wait before he jumped Teru at the inn. He'd felt much better after he'd punched the little ^#*, righteously believing that he'd be cool, patient, romantic, and gentlemanly with her this week. Hell, he'd lasted this long. Right?

Good thing he hadn't taken the bet.

He came out of the restroom and found Teru alone and dressed in a gold yukata. The hem and the edge of her sleeves were alive with white bubbles that grew smaller as the traveled up the fabric. She looked like a glass of champagne, he thought as he leaned against the door jamb and just admired her innate femininity as she stood in front of the mirror, arms raised as she pinned up her hair.

Her eyes met his in the mirror, and though she blushed, she didn't look away. "Hi."

He'd changed into a yukata, too. His robe a crosshatch of greens and browns that gave the impression of woven bamboo. He'd taken the time to dry his hair and shave and she had to say...wow. She wondered if the inn had any decorative katanas they'd lend her so she could take pictures of him with it in his yukata. If she got him to not shave for a few days he'd look like a scruffy ronin and, God, wouldn't that be amazing.

He walked over to stand behind her and played with a loose strand of hair as she finished with her bun. "Hi back. You look beautiful." He put his arms around her and just held her as she leaned back against him. "Sorry if it got a little intense there."

The blush increased, but she just raised a hand to his cheek. "It's okay." Her eyes dropped shyly. "I'm under your care. So, um, please have patience with me."

He gave a little snort as he dropped his chin to her shoulder. She gave him a small jab with her elbow which he countered with a tickle to her ribs that had her squealing.

They finally stopped, both of them laughing as they hung on to each other in a hug.

She rested her head against his chest with a happy sigh and he tucked a pin back in that had tried to escape. He ran a hand up and down her back. "So I take it the maid came back?"

She nodded against him. "Maka-chan told me that dinner was being served in the dining room." She turned her head and rested her chin on his sternum as she looked up at his face. "We got here too late for us to have ordered something for the room, so we'll have to eat there tonight."

He couldn't tell if her tone was disappointed or relieved. Probably both. "That sounds relaxing after that drive. You hungry?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. She left the menu, but I thought we'd just pick when we get there unless you want to wait and ..." They both went still as her stomach took the opportunity to cast its vote.

She hid her face face against him as he laughed. "Right. Dinner time." He stepped back and took her hand. "And after we eat, maybe we can walk around the grounds." He held the door open for her and shot her a wink. "And find all the secluded spots where we can make out."

She really hoped the pink in her cheeks went with the color of the robe, because they were obviously going to be paired together a lot this trip.

It took ten minutes to get to the dining room, not only because it was on the opposite end of the complex, but because Kurosaki kept stopping to helpfully point out secluded benches, empty sitting rooms, and lockable broom closets. When a maintenance closet he'd jokingly opened to test the lock actually opened, Teru squeaked and took off down the empty corridor.

It took Kurosaki a couple of seconds to catch her because he was laughing so hard, but a nuzzling, apologetic kiss and one breathless 'go bald' and they were on their way again.

They arrived at the dining room hand in hand and smiling.

"Honored guests, welcome." A server dressed in all black and wearing a headband that bore the name of the inn, met them at the door with a bow. "Please follow me to your table."

They entered the dimly lit room behind the server, Kurosaki ducking to avoid the cloth that draped the upper doorway. The traditional design scheme continued here, or, Teru thought, maybe the structure was so old that they didn't have to change it.

They passed table after table of people dressed in ordinary clothes, and even finery, rather than yukatas. She stepped a little closer to Kurosaki. "Were we not supposed to wear these into the restaurant?" She asked in an embarrassed whisper.

The server turned around at her question and bowed in apology. "No. No. Guests of the inn are welcome to wear your robes at all times. These guests," he gestured towards the dining room, "are patrons of the restaurant only, which is open to the public."

They continued to a small table set cozily in a corner and shielded from view from most of the room. "Still," Kurosaki nodded his thanks as the server pulled out his chair. "I don't see anybody else in a yukata."

"We save the best seats for those such as yourselves. There are actually six other guests here tonight and they are attired such as yourselves." They were handed their menus with a wink and a conspiratorial whisper. "These tables are very private, are they not?"

"I guess they are. Nice and...private." Kurosaki agreed with a smile/leer towards Teru that made her blush and kick him under the table.

Another server came up with a tray of tea, water, and a variety of appetizers. "Take your time with the menu." Another bow. "Our kitchen is at your service."

They thanked him and watched as he walked away. "How many times do you think we can get him to bow before the night is over?" Kurosaki whispered.

Teru accidentally spit a bit of the water she'd just sipped when she tried not to laugh. She looked around, embarrassed that someone might have seen her, then relaxed. The guy was right. It was like they were alone. She dipped her finger in her glass and flicked it towards Kurosaki with a grin. "Leave him alone. How many people do you think he's bowed to tonight alone?"

He wiped the drops off his cheek and raised an eyebrow. He reached for his own glass and snorted as Teru threw her hands up in front of her face. "Calm down, you instigator." He took a sip then raised a pinky as he set down his glass, making her giggle. "We're in a respectable restaurant, you know."

She reached across the table for his hand and sighed as he twined his fingers with hers. "I know. This is amazing. This is so much fun and all we've done so far is change in to robes!" She picked up her menu but kept her hand in his. "So what do you want to eat?"

He took a few moments to just watch her as she poured over the menu, her face animated as she exclaimed over the traditional Japanese dishes and regional specialties. He played with her hand while she talked, tested the smoothness of the skin at her wrist or outlined the edge of her hand with a fingertip.

He was scraping a nail lightly down the center of her palm when he realized she'd gone completely silent. He looked up into her face and found her staring at him, her face rosy and her mouth open on what had probably been a gasp. Keeping his eyes on hers, he slowly raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm before letting go. "So you want to try the eggplant, then?"

Teru could only stare at him as she tried to get her breath back...and remember what she had been talking about. How did he do that? She'd been talking about trying out the regional specialty when she'd looked up to find him focused on her hand. And all of the sudden, her hand became the most sensitive part of her entire body. Ever. She felt the slight callouses on his fingertips as he moved them against her skin and every hair on her arm stood straight up. And when he'd turned her hand palm up and ran his nail along her palm, she couldn't help the gasp or the way her entire body clenched at the lightning stroke of sensation. She'd been breathlessly waiting for the next shock to her system when he'd casually looked up, just as though he hadn't reduced her entire consciousness to her one hand.

"Uhhhh..."

He poured them both some tea as she tried to remember her Japanese. He took a sip and grinned slyly as she curled her hand into a fist and hid it in her lap. "The eggplant steak with sesame ponzu sauce, you said" he reminded her cheerfully, delighted with her response. "Always wanted to try it, you said."

She blushed and held up the menu that had slumped in her gripped so that she could hide behind it. "I know what I said," she said regally. "And what about you?" She peeked at him over the menu. "Do you know what you want?"

"Oh, I know what I want," he drawled. He leaned back in his chair and draped one arm over the back as he grinned at her, enjoying her blushes and her flustered glances. He leaned forward with a laugh and yanked her menu down to the table so she'd stop hiding. He flipped a page and tapped. "I want the katsudon," he pointed to steaming picture that featured the pork, egg, and broth dish. "There were lots of reviews about it on travel sites when I was looking for a place for us to stay."

"So," she said nonchalantly as she fiddled with the edge of a page, "you picked this place for the katsudon?"

"Nope." He tossed a fried edamame into his mouth and shrugged. "I picked it because when I was looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions of this place I kept thinking, 'man, Teru would love that'."

She would not cry, but God, she loved him! "But what if you didn't like it?"

"If I'm with you and you're happy, " Another shrug as he lifted the appetizer to her mouth. "I don't care where we are."

He grinned as she pulled back just a bit and eyed him and the bean with caution. "What's the matter, Teru?" He waved it teasingly under her nose. "I thought you loved edamame?"

"Are you trying to feed me or make me nervous?" but she gave in and leaned forward to take a bite.

She had her answer the instant he let go and brushed a finger over her lips, the teasing look on his face replaced by a half-lidded stare as he watched her mouth. "Why do I have to choose?" he murmured. "I can do both."

"Why...," her throat was quivering so much she paused to gulp down the whole glass of tea. "Why do want to make me nervous?"

He steepled his hands on the table and regarded her with a serious look and a raised eyebrow. "Are you scared right now?"

"No." The butterflies in her stomach had no resemblance to the fear she'd experienced in her lifetime.

"So," he raised a pedantic finger. "Would you say that what you're feeling is more akin to what you felt, say, in the car this afternoon?"

She blushed as she thought of their brief interlude when he'd stopped the car. "Yes, but..."

"Ah ah ah." He wagged his finger. "Your Sensei is speaking. Now," he ignored her eye roll and slapped the table like a tutor demanding attention. "Lesson one: not all nerves are bad. Understand?"

This time it was his turn to roll his eyes when she just beetled her brows and scrunched her nose. "Teru, what do think seduction means?"

She wanted to blush and hide under the table, but she straightened her back and looked straight ahead like she was answering a teacher. "Seduction is meant to get the opposite party, um, without clothing." She jumped when he made around like she was a contestant failing a game show round. "But Rena and Akira said..."

"First of all," he groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face at the well-meaning idiocy of friends. "You are to disregard anything either of those two, in particular, ever tell you about the subject. Ever. Got it?" He waited for her nod. "Second, that's the crappiest definition I've ever heard in my life and I want you to forget it." She opened her mouth and he just pointed to himself. "Sensei!"

She bit her lip to stop her smile and gave him a small, apologetic bow. "So sorry, Sensei. Please, continue."

He returned it with a nod. "Thank you. What it means for me - for us," he corrected. "Is to make the other person very, let's say, 'aware' of the other." He took her hand again and ran his thumb over the back, smiling as she clenched her hand in reaction. "See what I mean?"

Curious, she turned his hand over in hers and repeated the action that had made her heart gallop in her chest just a few minutes before. She drew one finger down his palm, scraping just a bit with her nail and found herself mesmerized as two spots of color bloomed on Kurosaki's cheeks.

She let go and hid her hands in lap once more, just in case. "Okay. But, um," she cleared her throat a bit because despite his grin, his eyes were hot and intense as he looked at her from across the table. "that doesn't mean I'm not nervous."

"It's a special kind of nervous," he clarified softly as he brought another piece of food to her lips. "It's not about sex...necessarily. Don't get me wrong," he patted her head as she laid her head on the table at the word 'sex'. "Sometimes it is about just that. But not always. Take tonight for instance."

"Tonight," Kurosaki calmly pressed her glass of water into her hand as she slowly sat back up. "We are not going to have 'sex'," he finished with air quotes. "But I am going to hold you like I've never held you before. Kiss you like I've never kissed you before. And touch you…," He handed her a napkin when she sputtered in her water. "for the first time. And until then," he whispered, leaning forward to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "I want to you to be aware of me every moment, want me more with each passing second, until all you can think about is being alone with me."

He leaned back in his chair and opened his menu, his tone once again nonchalant and teacher-like. "And that, my precious, perfect Teru, is the purpose of seduction."

"Oh," was all she could say in a whisper of sound as she helplessly followed the movements of his fingers on the pages, her breathing an unsteady rasp and her heartbeat a loud throb in her ears. "Okay, then."


	33. Chapter 33

Dinner was delicious; the company the perfect mix of smoldering awareness and tender sweetness, and Kurosaki got their server to bow 15 more times between taking their orders (she did try the eggplant) and clearing away the final plate until her arms-crossed-head-shake made him stop. Kurosaki even nursed one single solitary beer throughout the whole evening. When she asked him about it, he just told her that he wanted to be extra careful tonight, and made her blush.

They were holding hands over the last dregs of their drinks and reminiscing over her last day at school, the ceremony, and all the things that they _wouldn't_ miss about the high school (cleaning the boys restroom was number one on his list), when Kurosaki unsuccessfully hid a yawn.

She turned his wrist to look at his watch. "Oh my gosh!" They'd been in the restaurant for close to two hours. She narrowed her eyes suddenly and tapped on the watch face. "How long have you been up today?" She'd been out the door at 6AM in order to meet her friends for coffee and a pastry before facing their last day together in school and Kurosaki had been long gone from the apartment when she'd knocked to say good morning.

He shrugged. "It was my last day. Had to go out with a bang, right? There's a lot to do on graduation day. And," he reached out and booped her nose. "Had to make sure everything was perfect for someone's last day of high school."

She looked him in the eye for a few seconds, then reached out and flicked him between the eyes. "You forgot to clean out your office, didn't you?"

He pouted as he rubbed his forehead. "You'd think Andy would let me leave my stuff there for just a while longer since I've been so busy, but noooo. I thought he was kidding, but he sent me text at 2 am and said if it wasn't gone he'd either sell it or give away to the school clubs." He hunched a little thinking of the temporary storage space he'd had to rent. "Masochistic bastard."

Teru giggled and patted his arm. "I can see why they need the room, though. Riko told me that they're hiring three new custodians in order to fill your shoes."

That perked him up. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She smiled tenderly as he hid another yawn. "Anyway, we should probably head back to the room."

The urge to stretch died a swift death at her words. He knew she had said it because her foremost thought at that moment was her concern over his tiredness, but…

He wordlessly grinned at her until she clued in and turned ten shades of pink.

The grin grew into a laugh as she sputtered, "I, uh, I meant..."

"Ah, ah, ah. Don't ruin this for me. I knew what you meant." He stood up, pulling her up at the same time and tugging until she stood beside him at the table. He used a finger to tip her chin up until her eyes met his. "And don't worry, princess." He kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm not _that_ tired."

She was glad when he pulled her along towards the door that would take them back to the inn because she was pretty sure she'd forgotten how to walk. And talk. Kurosaki said their thanks and goodbyes to the host and server as they bid them goodnight.

They also reminded them to try out the bath in their room tonight. "It's just the thing after all that travel and a good meal."

Kurosaki peeked down at Teru as they made their way back down the empty corridors. She had a death grip on his hand and was taking slow, deep breaths as she stared at the floor. There were nerves and then there were _nerves_.

He let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders. He gave her a little squeeze. "Hey," he said casually.

Teru fought the urge to jump as the heat of him pressed against her side and over her shoulders. "Hey, back." She sighed as some of his calm seemed to seep into her. Then she shivered as his hand slid to her neck to absent-mindedly play with the tendrils of hair at her nape.

He felt the tremor and felt like a god. "Did I tell you," he bent to murmur in her ear, "what I'm wearing under this robe?"

She mutely shook her head and raised a hand to her nose, certain that blood was going to start gushing any second.

They got to their door and Kurosaki let go of her to lean against the doorjamb as she fished out the key. "I bet it's the same thing as you," he said in a sing-song voice.

She shook her head then dropped the key with a clatter when he reached out and ran a fingertip along the edge of her collar. She snatched the key back up and kept her eyes on the lock. "I think you'd lose that bet," she said breathlessly.

"Yeah?" She opened the and before she could take a step he put a hand between her shoulder blades and gave her a little shove into the room, ignoring her surprised yelp. "Let's just see about that."

Teru had no time to recover from her stumbling entry when Kurosaki, after quickly closing and locking the door, swept her up princess-style and strode towards the onsen. She grabbed the edges of his robe to steady herself. "Kurosaki!"

He stopped walking just long enough to lower his head and take her mouth in a hot, yearning kiss that had her involuntarily wrapping her arms around his neck. She was vaguely aware of him moving again, but his lips never left hers and as their tongues came into play, she no longer cared where they were going.

Kurosaki lifted his head long enough to make sure he wasn't about to walk them into the pool. Satisfied, he kissed her again and turned, changing his grip so that her feet came down just as he pressed his back against the wall. This way, he could wrap both arms around her, bracing himself as he bent her over backwards so that she had to cling to him as he loosened the reins ever so slightly on his ever-present desire for her.

And she matched him step for step. Every new nuance he introduced via lips and tongue she echoed. The soft, wondering sounds she gave in response became an instant addiction from which he knew he'd never be free from again.

Thank God.

He was the luckiest man on earth, the stabilizing thought made its way past the red haze in his mind to remind him of his carefully laid plans.

He raised his head with a gasp and hugged her close as he leaned back against the wall. "So, the bet," he croaked.

She could barely understand what he said. Not only because his voice was nothing but bass and gravel, but because she was too busy trying to lean back from his tight embrace so that she could kiss him again. She gave up and raised her hands to his face so that she could pull it down to hers. "Kurosaki."

The soft sigh had him bending his head once more, but with a shake of his head he straightened and had her gasping as he reversed their positions and pressed her to the wall.

Her eyes grew wide as he dropped to his knees in front of her. He was so tall that she only had a few inches on him, even in this position. "What are you...?"

Her words trailed off into silence when he looked up at her, his hair wild and his eyes shining with passion, love, and fun. His eyes traveled slowly down the front of her yukata until it got to the belt where his fingers traced the knot. "I can guess what you have on under here."

Her throat closed up as she watched him slowly undo the tie with his long dexterous fingers. As a result, her voice came squeaky and barely perceptible. "Wait. I'm not…"

The belt fell away, but the edge of the yukata stayed shut. He reached up and ran both hands over her shoulders and down her arms to where the edge of her sleeves met her hands. "You're not…," he prompted quietly when she stopped talking.

Teru opened her mouth to continue, but shut it with an audible click as Kurosaki took a hold of her sleeves and slowly pulled down. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt her robe part, the edges sliding silkily across what lie beneath and down her arms until it caught on her clenched hands.

Kurosaki's large, hot hands let go of the robe and slid down her bare arms until the last of the fabric fell to the floor. God, just look at her. "Teru."

"Are," her voice trembled, her eyes still shut as she fought the urge to cover herself. "Are you disappointed?"

"Are you kidding?" He stood up in an effort to avoid temptation and leaned an arm above her head so that he curved over her. "I won the bet."

She peeked one eye open and got an eyeful of his chest through the open edge of his yukata. "Huh?"

He ran a finger down the strap of her bikini top and she thought her knees would buckle. "I figured you'd want to try out the tub in your suit." He waited a beat. "At least this first night. Plus," he shrugged. "I could see your suit peek through your collar whenever you reached for the soy sauce at dinner."

"You should go bald immediately. Right this second,"" she told him weakly. The way he was staring down at her, the timber of his voice, the heat of him so close; all of it made her skin tingle and her blood pulse, even though he'd held her closer than this when they were at the beach. "So...so that means you're wearing your swim trunks?"

He braced both hands against the wall and kissed the top of her head. "Only one way to find out."

Oh. Oh, boy. Oh, oh boy. She reached out and touched his chest with one hand, only to jerk it back when she felt him flinch.

He didn't laugh; he just took her hand and put it back.

He was so hot, she thought wonderingly, even through the yukata. She pressed her hand flat over his heart and her breath caught at the strong, fast beat that echoed her own. She brought up the other hand and mirrored the caress on the other side of his chest, until both hands were tracing the subtle bulges and curves of his pecs as they curved up to his shoulders and his raised arms.

Kurosaki clenched his hands on the wall and closed his eyes at the tentative touch of her hands. "Teru?"

"Hmm?" Was her distracted response as she daintily tested the resiliency of the muscles at his shoulders with a squeeze of her hands.

He waited another moment to savor the feeling of her hands sliding back down his chest, one hand stopping again over his heart while the other traveled to his side, following every curve of muscle and bone. He bit back an oath when the hand over his heart moved, scraping against his nipple. "Teru," he said again, only this time through clenched teeth. "Aren't you going to untie my robe?"

Her hands stilled. She'd been so mesmerized by the first touch that she'd forgotten her goal. She slid her wandering hands to the knot, noting the way the muscles beneath her fingers bunched at the momentary contact. She tried to keep her hands from shaking, but she couldn't seem to get a deep breath.

He had been studiously not watching her efforts as the view included a full-frontal bikini-clad Teru, but he finally did, leaning back to see her face when her hands completely left him. He smiled as she just stood there, eyes closed as she quietly flapped her hands and tried to breathe.

"Need any help?"

She shook her head. "What do we do if I pass out?" she asked on a wheeze.

"Then we wait until you regain consciousness and try again," he told her teasingly. "This seems like a fancy inn. They might even have smelling salts." He took ahold of her hands and drew them back to his belt. "Do you feel like you're going to faint?"

She nodded, then shook her head as she fumbled with the fabric "My face is hot and my head feels like it's spinning," she admitted, embarrassed at her gauche reactions. She gave a small groan as his robe came apart to reveal the sculpted body that had given her more than one tingly moment through the years...and his swim shorts.

His tented swim shorts.

She jerked her gaze up to his chest, but found that she still couldn't control her breathing or… "I can't feel my legs." She couldn't seem to look away from the ridges and planes in front of her eyes. "Are they still there?"

He loved, loved, loved the confusion and the arousal he heard in her voice. "Yup." He reached down and helpfully pinched her thigh, then quickly caught her in his arms, pressing her against the wall, as her knees gave out.

Kurosaki's mind blanked momentarily as a silk-skinned Teru wrapped her arms around him. Her arms were clutched tight around his waist, an instinctive reaction from when she'd first headed south. She was so dainty that the top of her head didn't even clear his shoulders. What that meant, of course, was that her clothed breasts were pressed tight against his abdomen. And with every breath he could feel her tight, budded nipples through the fabric of her top.

His fervent prayer of thanks was mixed with one asking for patience.

"You okay?" he rumbled. He could feel her quivering along every point of contact.

Teru nodded from where her face pressed against his chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, she was so scared and exhilarated. One touch from him and she'd crumpled like a straw house in a typhoon. And now...she tried desperately not to move as his frighteningly large erection pressed tightly to her stomach.

Even through his shorts he was hotter there than anywhere else. And he throbbed. She could actually feel it. It made her head swim even more and she couldn't make up her mind if she wanted to press closer or shy away from that alien appendage.

She decided that staying perfectly still was her best bet. "Kurosaki, um, maybe," she said in a soft puff of air against his skin, "we should just...you know."

He went preternaturally still. "Huh?"

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his chest, resisting the urge to nuzzle her nose against him like she often did to Takeda-san's dog. "Maybe we should just do it and get it over with it. That way," she reasoned. "I won't be making it into such a big deal."

She realized at the end of her declaration that she had indeed begun to nuzzle him, taking the smell of him into her very cells. That's probably why she missed his tenseness until he'd put both hands on her hips and picked her straight up until they were face to face.

Serious eyes met hers. "Put your legs around me," he murmured as he pressed harder against the wall.

She complied nervously and shivered as the inside of her thighs slid against his skin. Her legs tightened involuntarily to keep her in place as his hands left her hips, one sliding under her butt while the other curved around her throat.

He tipped her head to the side as he bent to kiss her neck. "No."

Her hands clutched his shoulders as he ran sipping kisses along her jaw line. "No?"

"Mmmm," she felt more than heard the wordless affirmative and clenched her thighs in reaction around his torso. "There are some things, Teru, that you never want to just 'get it over with'." He scraped his teeth over a tendon and grinned against her skin as she flinched. "Do you want me to stop?"

When had her hand ended up in his hair? "I guess...no," she whispered as she arched neck.

"I thought so. And remember, grasshopper" he stepped back from the wall with her still pressed against him and walked to the steaming bath, "it isn't the destination that counts, but the journey."

She hid her face against his shoulder with a snort. "Isn't that from the motivational poster you had in your office?" She poked him in his amazing, amazing abs. "The one with the kitten?"

"Hello? Why do you think I kept it?" He tapped on her head until she looked up. "But seriously, we've waited this damn long." He cupped her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "We don't have to do everything in one day."

"Right." She blushed, but rubbed her nose against his. "We're going to do everything in two or three days."

He nipped her lip and followed it with a quick kiss. "I hear sarcasm when all I'm doing is dispensing wisdom." He shook his head sadly. "Tsk. You kids these days."

Teru laughed, the last of the tremors leaving her. She looked behind her at the tub where Kurosaki was dipping his toe. She marveled at the size of the thing. The steam from it wafted around their private porch and it was almost five feet deep. Seriously, it was more a pool than a tub. "Aren't we getting in?"

"Sure. I just wanted you to be ready."

Too slow, she asked, 'Ready for wha….,' but Kurosaki had already scooped her up under the arms and held her out over the edge, laughing as he dropped her unceremoniously into the hot water.

Teru surfaced with a gasp to find him beside her. He was laughing so hard she was able to send a tidal wave of water into his face. He splashed her back and soon the situation degenerated into a full-on water fight.

She put up a hand when he would have put a hand on her head to dunk her again. "Wait! Wait!" She wiped the water from her eyes as she tried to stop her giggles. "We're wasting the relaxing properties of the natural springs and special additives!"

He stood in front of her, grinning as he took in the amount of water that was now outside the onsen. He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair and over his face to wipe off the water. "I think we'll be fine. And the water is supposed to drain through the floorboards anyw….what are you doing?"

He looked down at Teru, her entire body submerged to her nose as she stared up at him.

Teru hid under the water until she was sure of her composure. She'd gotten the water out her eyes as he assessed the damage, and when she'd opened them, she'd been confronted with his gleaming, glistening, perfect body. He'd raised his arms and suddenly everything seemed like it was in slow motion; his hands through his hair, the way the muscles in his arms bunched as they ran over his face. Even the water running down his chest seemed to move in slo-mo, she knew he was talking, but listening was beyond her. She'd even held her breath, sinking down in the water in an effort to hide her response.

He shook his head and put his hands on his hips and bent until they were nose to nose. "You know, you're hair isn't supposed to touch the water in an onsen. You're supposed to shower, too."

She stood up with a gasp, her mouth open as she pointed a righteous finger at the man who'd tossed her in. "You...you…," she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reaching up to fix her bun. "You started it."

"Guilty," he murmured, watching the interesting things her raised arms did to her chest. "Plus," he reminded her as he handed her a hair pin that had been floating in the water. "It doesn't matter since they change the water in this one every day."

She snuck little glances at him as she made her way to one of the raised seats that were built into the floor of bath. "I wonder why they do that."

Her eyebrows raised in surprise when he chose a seat across the bath.

He sank down with a sigh until the only thing above the water was his head. He closed his eyes and he could feel Teru's assessing gaze. With a laziness he didn't remotely feel, he drawled, "I imagine it's because people keep having sex in these things." He ignored her embarrassed squeak and kept speaking, his eyes still shut as he lifted his arms and laced his fingers behind his head. "They are inside the private rooms, after all."

His eyes were closed so she felt safe staring, even if she did have to cover her hot cheeks with her hands. She knew what he was doing. He was getting her used to this. Them. Using the word 'sex' and the subtle introduction of the concept that people made love in the tub. That they would make love in a bath.

This bath.

She was flustered, but she was also grateful at the way he was handling this change in their dynamics. And intrigued. And kind of itchy, actually. And in another ten years she might not blush when the topic came up.

She was trying to figure out how to casually broach the subject/activity of kissing when his foot touched hers and she nearly dunked herself in surprise. He hadn't moved from his seat, she realized, he was just that long of limb.

One eye opened and seemed to pin her in place. "What are you thinking about?"

She looked down at the water where his feet had trapped hers between them and tapped her fingers together as she tried to gather the thoughts that had scattered at his touch. "Ah, you said there certain things we weren't going to do tonight, right?"

He wanted to pin her against the edge of the bath and make her list all the things she imagined when she said 'certain things', but instead he stretched his arms above his head and replied calmly, "That's right."

She gasped when one foot raised to trace a toe up and down her shin. "So, um, what did you want to do? With me, I mean." She closed her eyes and tried to pretend that she wasn't the one asking these questions. "Tonight," she blurted in a rush.

His foot dropped away and she braced herself as she felt the slosh of water that signaled movement.

"God, I love you." An unromantic poke in the arm had her eyes popping open to find Kurosaki towering over her. He jerked a thumb. "Up."

Her confused 'huh' apparently took too long, because he scooped her up, only to sit back down with her on his lap. Her legs ended up on either side of his, the seat high enough that the water hit the bottom of her bikini top. She'd stiffened up at the speed at which he'd moved, but all he did was sit there, his hands on her waist as he waited for her to look up at him. She was feeling innocently relieved that she was on his legs instead of his lap, then she gasped as she shifted, the coarse hair on his legs to rasp against the sensitive skin of her thighs.

Kurosaki took a hold of her chin, his own breathing raspy at the feel of her moving on his lap and under his hands. "How about I just show you?" he whispered as he bent his head to hers. "Hold on to me, Teru."

A whimper was her only response as he kissed her without preliminaries, the finger on her chin pulling down so that her mouth was open at the first swipe of his tongue.

She put her arms around him and held on as Kurosaki searched out every taste and texture that her mouth had to offer. She tried to keep up, tried to echo his movements so that he might feel some of the same pleasure, but all too soon all such structured thought was gone and she lost herself in the feelings he induced with his touch.

Kurosaki knew the second Teru got past her shyness and her nervousness. Her mouth opened wider, her tongue followed his back into his mouth to lave across his, and she seemed to melt against him, her movements languid as she speared her fingers into his hair. He groaned into her mouth when she used her grip to tug him even closer.

She echoed the groan with a softer, achingly feminine sound that ratcheted up his desire to the point that he had to raise his head to gasp for breath in an effort to slow down.

Teru sounded much like him as she tried suck in air. A tug on his hair didn't bring him back, his mouth was now out of reach, but his neck was right there and…

Kurosaki's arms wrapped around Teru, raising her up and holding her close as she pressed her lips against his throat in a delicate kiss. His hand had moved into her hair in order to tug her head back once more when she flicked her tongue out for a taste...and sucked a kiss over the wet.

"Oh, fuck." He used his grip on her hair to keep her there when she would have pulled back. "Do that again. Harder."

Oh, yes. She wanted to do that. She remembered every time Kurosaki had lavished such attention on her neck. And if the rock-hard state of his muscles as well as the tightness of his arms were any indicator, he liked it as much as she did. So she kissed, she sucked, she nibbled every centimeter of space until the taste of him saturated her senses.

"Kurosaki," she sighed and stuck her nose in the hollow where his ear met his jaw in order to draw in his scent that pooled there. He smelled so good. So hot and male. Just pure Kurosaki.

She bit his ear.

The effect was electric. The hand that had been lazily wrapped in her hair during her ministrations suddenly tensed, jerking her head back. She had a moment to see Kurosaki's face, a mask of pure heat and desire, before he was kissing her. Not just her lips, though he spent long enough there to have her boneless and clinging, but her face, her eyes, her neck. He bit her in much the same manner as she'd done to him and she cried out, her arms and legs closing convulsively around him as something deep within her clenched in shocking pleasure.

He slowed down at that point. In fact, he stopped completely, his breath heavy in her ear until she squirmed against him and tugged at his hair. "Kurosaki, please. Please." She knew she was whimpering and didn't care. As long as he did something!

He did something alright.

Kurosaki pulled back until he could see her face and released her hair from his fists, smoothing it back gently as he lowered his lips to hers in an achingly tender, deep kiss.

She wanted to beat at his shoulders and pull at his hair. She felt so achy, so hot and this slow kiss, so at contrast with his hunger a moment before, made her even crazier. She was about to take over this kiss with a growl when his hands closed over her rib cage, his thumbs brushing against the bottom of her bikini top.

He ran one finger under the band, marveling at the silken texture of the skin directly beneath her breast when he realized that they were both holding still, resting forehead to cheek as they waited for that first, epic touch. He could feel her tense up again, so he kissed her softly...

And swept both hands over her bikini top, his hands still curved around her sides so that just his thumbs slid over the curves of her breasts. They both shivered convulsively and she made a high, startled sound when his hands caught on her nipples. He grunted at both the dream coming true and the feel of her nails as they dug into his chest.

And he kept kissing her, gentling her as he did it again and again, lingering over her curves and gently testing the resiliency of her soft flesh until she was pressing into his touch.

He wondered if she knew she had a hold of his wrist. She'd grabbed a hold at the first touch, as though to potentially stop him, but now… now she was using it keep his hand right where she wanted it.

He lifted his head and watched hers drop as she gaspingly tried to process the new sensations. "Teru." He waited until her glazed eyes met his. "Take off your top."

She gulped at the dark promise in his voice, and dropped her head to his shoulder. "You do it," she whispered.

He slid one hand to her back and swept it from her nape, down her back, lingering at the knot and the clasp before lifting both hands off of her completely. She jerked her head up and watched as he clasped his hands together and rest them on top of his head.

"Nuh uh." He shook his head as he stared into her eyes before dropping his smoldering gaze to her top. "This is Kurosaki Tasuku's private fantasy #28: 'Teru shows me her breasts of her own free will'." He raised his eyes back to hers, the flush on his cheeks and the way his muscles bulged along his shoulders and arms belying his teasing tone. "Can you do that for me?"

She gulped, but keeping her eyes on his, reached back and slowly undid the hook and eye latch across her back. The edges fell apart, but the straps across her neck kept her top in place, hiding her from full view.

Kurosaki whispered to her when she reached up and hesitated, closing her eyes as nerves got the better of her. "I've been so careful this past year to not touch you. Do you know how many times I've wanted to take you in my hands, in my mouth until you're sobbing my name?" She shuddered and opened her eyes to see his, his pupils expanded until only the slightest hint of color showed around the edges of the ring. "Every. Damn. Day," he finished on a growl.

The images that invoked nearly had her sobbing now, but the hunger in his gaze gave her the courage to reach up and tug at the strings until the top slid away to plop in the water.

One breath. Two. Then Kurosaki dropped his eyes.

Teru focused on the ceiling as soon as his eyes left hers and tried not to die of embarrassment. He didn't say anything, and though she was braced for it, he didn't touch her. He just sat there.

"I...I'm sorry I'm so small," she stuttered. "I've been drinking milk and everytmphhh."

Kurosaki moved the hand he'd put over her mouth and poked her in the forehead with a smile. "Shut up."

She nodded, still looking anywhere but at him and fought the urge to cover herself. "Okay." She took a bracing breath and tried to figure out what to do with her hands. "What now?"

He slowly uncoiled, dropping his arms to take her hands in his. "Ask me to touch you."

It took her two tries to get words out. "Didn't I do that when I...when I took off my top?"

He simply leaned down and kissed her. One soft kiss before he whispered against lips. "You have to show me."

Breathing so fast that she was seriously worried about passing out, she slowly brought their joined hands to her bare breasts, sliding her own away until finally, finally his hands completely covered her small mounds.

He held still, reveling in the satin perfection of her, the pebbled nipples pressing against his palms begging for his touch. "Put your hands on my shoulders," he breathed against her skin as he nipped her jaw. He waited until the second her small hands came to his shoulders, then he started exploring.

"Oh, crap! Kurosaki!" She couldn't keep her nails from digging into his shoulders when he began to play with her breasts. And there was no other word for it. His calloused fingers shaped and stroked every piece of newly exposed skin. And he wasn't even watching what he was doing. She knew this because he kept kissing her. Hard, soft, just like his hands he kept changing the pace and the pressure until she found herself with one hand in his hair and the other in top of one of his hands, encouraging a firmer caress.

She gasped when he obeyed the silent order and pinched her nipple. "God, you are so amazing," He repeated the action on the other breast and cursed when she broke the kiss to fling her head back on a moan. He made the most of her position and kissed his way down her neck, pausing when he got to the hollow at the base of her throat. "Teru, put your knees on the chair." He lapped at the intriguing dip as she settled her knees on the underwater seat on either side of his legs. "Are you ready?"

She made a sound vaguely resembling assent...or a tea kettle..

That would do. "Good. Prepare yourself."

There was no way. No way to prepare for this she thought as his hands slid from her breasts to her waist. He kissed his way across her collarbone, all the while using the hands on her waist to pull her up until she was completely raised on her knees and off of his lap. He dragged the tip of his nose along her skin, down the center of her chest until he was in the valley between her breasts. He changed the grip of his hands, sliding his arms around her so that one arm circled her hips while the other moved across her shoulder blades to hook over her shoulder, keeping her in place.

Her hands settled in his hair once more, clasping and unclasping the strands as he drove her crazy. "Kurosaki!"

She was driving him crazy. He'd dreamt of this moment a million times but she'd never been this responsive, reacting to his every touch with a gasp or a murmur. And her breasts. He'd punch the next moron that said that small breasts weren't amazing. Perfect. Delicious.

He dragged his tongue along the bottom curve of her breast and up to flick her small, pink nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

Teru cried out and dropped her hands to his shoulders, pushing as she fought to escape the unbearable sensations his mouth invoked as his mouth pulled at her breast.

His arms tightened around her, but he let go of her nipple. "It's alright, Teru." He pressed open-mouthed kisses all around the small areole as he sought to calm her down. "Trust me. Just close your eyes and enjoy the pleasure," he rumbled, his voice pure smoke and sin as he spoke against her skin. "Let me love you."

Her head fell back as he switched his attentions to her other breast. "I'm not sure I can stand it," she whispered.

"You can. You were made for this. For me. God, Teru." Was the last thing he said before he latched on to her breast once more, ignoring her small scream as he pressed her nipple to the roof of his mouth and drew deep.

She was crying now, the tears running down her face as she continued to exceed the limits of pleasure that she thought she could take, that were humanly possible to take, she'd thought. Time didn't exist anymore. Kurosaki seemed voracious as he ate at her flesh, continually nipping, licking, and sucking at her breasts. They were so sensitized now that each time she felt the edge of his teeth or the brush of his hair she writhed on top of him, unable to control the whimpers and small cries that he kept drawing from her at his touch.

"Kurosaki!" Her body kept shaking, her arms wrapped around his head as he brought his hands back into play. "Oh please. Please."

"That's it." He was trembling nearly as hard as she was. She might not be aware of it, but she'd pressed her hips to his chest under the water where she was raised up on her knees. She kept undulating against him in tune to the motions of his mouth at her breast, revealing her passion as she sought an unknown pleasure. He cupped one small breast and plumped it, scraping his thumb across surface before leaning forward to delicately bite the tip.

Teru screamed, her knees giving out as the world went white and her body seemed to implode from the inside out.

Kurosaki groaned along with her as she collapsed against his chest and slid down into the water, shaking and insensate as she sat fully on his erection. His hands went convulsively to her hips, holding her close as the trembling pressure of her against him sent him over the same edge and into mind-shattering bliss.

Teru flailed for purchase as the last vestiges of pleasure were exacerbated tenfold by the rocking pressure of Kurosaki between her legs, her bikini bottoms only serving as a point of friction. Her only anchor in this unknown storm, she wrapped her arms around him and whispered his name like a prayer as the pounding waves took her under once more.

Kurosaki opened his eyes after the most amazing orgasm he'd ever had and found Teru in arms, crying softly into his neck, her own arms wrapped tight around him. He blew out a shaky breath and cupped the back of her head, running a soothing hand up and down her back. "You okay?"

She sniffed and nodded, then shook her head, still against his shoulder. "That was so amazing, Kurosaki. And so scary." She cupped his jaw in her hand and sat back to look up at his face. He looked lazily replete. And tender. And smug, she thought, but he'd probably earned that one. "I can't believe I'm still alive after that."

He turned his head and kissed the palm of the hand that was pressed to his jaw. "I'll say." He took her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly on the lips, gallantly trying to ignore the breasts that kept glancing off his chest. "You nearly killed me."

She felt tears fall once more as he rained soft kisses over her upturned face. "I love you, Kurosaki."

"I love you too, Teru," He kissed a tear away from the corner of her eye and pressed his forehead to hers. "Thanks for fulfilling my fantasy."

She gave a watery giggle. "#28? What's with that? How many fantasies do you have?"

"I'll tell you later," he promised in a whisper. "And then you can tell me yours."

She was surprised she could still blush. "What if I don't have any?"

He reached out and caught her top as it floated by. "Then I'd call you a liar," he said with a wink. He held it just out of her reach when she went to grab it. "But I'll let you borrow some of mine."

She didn't respond, but just reached out further and snagged her top, looking down to avoid his avid gaze as she put it back on. She sighed when she was done and was looking around the room for a towel when she yawned. "Why am I so tired all of the sudden?"

"Because," she squeaked as he lifted her up out of the water to set her on the edge of the bath. He put his arms on either side of her and leaned forward until she was bent back, propped up on her elbows as she stared up at him. "That's the normal reaction when you have an orgasm. Or two."

She blushed and blanked at a response, but she didn't look away. "Oh."

He bent his head and kissed her stomach as she lay sprawled, loving the way every muscle in her abdomen clenched at his touch. "You should go take your shower now. You know," he shrugged before he slid back into the water. "Since you didn't before you got in here."

She ignored his teasing and got to her knees. "Do you need one, too?" She asked shyly.

He went still, the smile leaving his face to show a hunger that hadn't abated despite what they'd just done. "You go ahead. I'll see you when you get out."

"Okay," she appreciated his restraint, despite his turning down her timid offer. She wasn't sure how much more she could take tonight. "I'll meet you inside." She got to her feet and walked over to pick up her yukata. She paused at the door and looked back at the bath to find Kurosaki's attention fixed intently on her. "Kurosaki?"

"Yeah?"

She sent him a new smile; one that spoke of knowledge that she hadn't had a few hours ago. "You're a good Sensei." She bowed at the waist. "I'm looking forward to more of your lessons."

He grinned as she quickly escaped through the doors. Cheeky, innocent brat, he thought with love. He levered himself out of the water and walked to the shower hose that was built right in to the wall. Just you wait, he thought with an inward groan. He was looking forward to those lessons, too.


	34. Chapter 34

Teru took the longest shower she'd ever had in her life. Most of it she spent trying to press herself face-first into the corner of the shower as her mind played and replayed some of the more embarrassing aspects of the evening. She groaned as she remembered taking off her top. And then the way she'd used her hands to put his hands on her. Crap. How did people get used to this!

But she did know. Well, now she knew, she thought with a shiver as she remembered the pleasure. And the feel of his hands. And the feel of his mouth on her...

She straightened abruptly before her thoughts could make her knees go out. Time to focus on actually taking a shower and not hiding in the restroom like an ninny.

"Yosh." She grabbed the super-fancy loofa that had been part of the super-fancy shower staples, then shivered at the first brush of the loofa against her sensitized skin. The she shivered again as she remembered Kurosaki telling her what to do. His voice, his kisses, his touch, even his breathing had told her that didn't mind if she was shy and gauche. She pressed a hand to her stomach and gave a little moan at the lingering twinges of pleasure. Seriously, how had her heart not exploded? Why hadn't she passed out?

Would everything feel like that?

"Can I make him feel like that?" she whispered into the water.

Kurosaki had made the most of Teru's absence and had taken a seated shower using the built-in showerhead by the onsen. The inn had a stool and wash basin filled with toiletries stashed in a cubby, so he'd lost the shorts (keeping a weather eye on the door) and had taken his second shower of the evening. Then he'd donned his robe once again and hurried out to change into his normal sleepwear of boxers and a t-shirt.

He'd also stopped himself repeatedly from joining Teru in the shower.

If only to watch.

"Stop it," he muttered himself as he turned out lights and set a tray of water by the futons. "Why do you think she's been in there so long, huh? You probably scared her, you asshole."

If they'd been the same age, they would have done this in gradual stages. In true teenage style, they would have necked on the couch, then he would have petted her, getting her used to his touch. He would have made sly, glancing passes at her subtle curves that would get her used to his touch until he finally seduced his way under her shirt and various other pieces of clothing.

But they weren't the same age. He'd given serious, if passing, thought about going slow once she'd graduated. Giving her time. Drawing out the seduction during the summer months so and enjoying the changes that each new stage brought.

And he couldn't do it.

He rubbed a hand over his face and groaned. He'd almost eaten her alive. He'd dreamed of that first moment with her over and over again. He'd planned out a hundred, no, a thousand scenarios over the past year. He'd be in perfect control of himself and ease her in to each new pleasure. But he'd just dived right in.

Hah! He hadn't been in control of anything once he'd gotten a taste of her, She was so soft and gorgeous and responsive.

He rubbed his fingertips together at the tactile memory of and her sat on the floor with a sigh while he stared longingly at the still-closed door. She'd been a thousand times better than his dreams. Ten thousand.

She was perfect.

The sweetest, smartest, bravest girl in the world loved him. It was unreal.

He smiled as he remembered how he'd rag on Soichiro about his painfully obvious sister-crush. Soichiro would pat his head and give him a pitying look before saying, 'if you had someone like my Teru, you'd understand'. And the bastard had been right.

Kurosaki bowed his head and putting his hands together, he prayed silently to his future brother in law. "I understand now, my friend. Thank you for putting your sister under my care. I'll love her forever so you're going to have to be cool with it when we make out in heaven. Until then, make sure to kick my ass if I ever make her unhappy. "

Teru peeked through the bathroom door before stepping out into the darkened room. She ran a self-conscious hand over her sleepwear, which consisted of her normal shorts and a tank top, but suddenly felt like the most drab outfit she'd ever worn thanks to Riko.

She'd dragged her suitcase into the restroom before her shower so that she could change and had gotten a surprise when she'd gotten to the bottom of her suitcase to find several other options available to her. She knew Riko had packed the case for her, but she'd blushed ten shades of red when she'd found a note pinned to the lingerie that her friends had gotten her for her birthday.

"Happy Graduation!" the note had began. "I hope you're enjoying that selfish bastard's graduation gift (we'll have a party when you get back:-) Ahem, I found this in your drawer with the tag's still on and I thought you might appreciate them this weekend in case you're going to do anything that might … require special gear. My psychology side is telling me to shut up now. Have fun. Be safe. Tell Kurosaki I'll disembowel him if he doesn't take care of you. I'm proud of you - Love, Riko"

Awwww, she loved RIko. And she'd never be able to look her in the eye again. She'd stuffed the flimsy materials back to the bottom of the suitcase and gotten dressed.

The staff had laid out the futons while they were at dinner, she saw. She hugged her arms around herself with a smile. She'd missed that little detail seeing as how he'd swept her up in his arms the moment she'd opened the door. And now as she stood by the screen that separated the sleeping area from the rest of the suite, her heart literally hurting with the love she felt for Kurosaki as she watched him quietly praying, she wished she had had the confidence to wear one of those flimsy concoctions for him. She'd have passed out from the nerves, but it would have made him happy.

"I'm glad you're here," he said with his eyes still closed, making her jump. He smiled and held a hand out to her. "I thought you might be trying to drown yourself in the shower."

Teru laughed and took his hand. "That would be very inefficient. The bath would be much better place for that," she teased as he pulled her down beside him.

He kissed the top of her head as she snuggled into his side. "It's not too much too soon, is it?"

"No," Teru said simply. "Just because I don't have any experience doesn't mean I haven't thought about this." She sighed as his arm came around her shoulders, a warm weight that she now couldn't live without. "What it would be like to be with you like this. I've even dreamed about it."

"Reeeeeally?"

The drawled out question had her slapping her hand over her mouth in mortification as she realized what she'd said. She coughed and decided to go for distraction. "Oh look! There are mint leaves in the water. I wonder what that tastes like?" She tried to slip out from under his arm to reach the drink glasses and quickly found herself in a headlock. "Hey!"

"You know," Kurosaki said conversationally, smiling at the way she wiggled and smacked at his arm. "You should have told me about that sooner." No she shouldn't have. It would have killed him. "I think I'd like to know a little bit more about that."

"No!" But now she was giggling.

"Aww, come on." He changed his grip and pulled her into his lap, bending her over his arm so that she had to hold on to his t-shirt for balance. He rubbed his nose against hers even as his wicked grin made her blush. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." He raised his eyebrows in surprise as she wound her hands around his neck.

"No," but it was said with a soft kiss. "Maybe after we're married for about five years."

The thought of such an anniversary was champagne in his blood. "Hmmph," he made the grumpy sound as he sat them both uptight; her still in his lap with her arms around his neck. "How about you tell me as an engagement present?"

Teru laughed leaned forward to kiss his chin. "How about you leave me some of my dignity?"

He tipped his head and gave her a perplexed look. "But you don't have any dignity. You're a Kurebayashi."

She gasped and and unlooped her arms from around his neck to push at his chest. "How dare you. Just because you have ample proof and countless stories about me and my brother to substantiate your slander doesn't mean it's true."

He trapped her hands as she made to tickle his ribs. "You're absolutely right. I don't know what came over me. Please forgive my rudeness, my very dignified princess." He went to kiss her laughing mouth then dropped his head to her shoulder as jaw-cracking yawn got the better of him.

Teru petted his hair and his shoulders as another yawn followed the first. "It's been a long day." She put her hand on his cheek when he raised his head and only blushed a lot when she glanced down at the futons. "Are...are you ready to go to bed."

"Technically," he pointed out. "We're already in bed." He felt the slight tremor go through her and then subside as she sat in his lap. "But I am ready to go to sleep," he said in an subtle reassurance that he wasn't planning on attacking her. Tonight.

He lowered his forehead to hers and echoed her caress, running his thumb along her cheekbone as he watched her eyes flutter close. "I've been looking forward to sleeping beside you again, Teru," he whispered into that intimate space.

She wondered if he could feel the heat of her blush against his skin. "That's happened, what? Twice?" She teased. The first time was when he'd carried her to her bed after a crying jag and she'd captured a handful of his shirt, causing him to be trapped beside her for the night. The second was when she'd trapped her Daisy at the seaside and they'd been stuck in the same room for safekeeping. She'd fallen asleep before him in both those cases and had never been aware of the sensation of him laying down with her. Both of those times, she'd woken warm, tucked up beside him

She couldn't wait.

Kurosaki slid his hand down her neck and along her side, making sure his hand glanced off of the curve of her breast, before sliding his arms around her waist. Delighting in her quick gasp, he pressed one soft kiss to her lips. "Twice was a gift and eternity will never, ever be enough. Even if you do snore." Another distracting kiss. "Now kiss me goodnight."

Slumberous eyes snapped open as her ears caught up. Indignation straightened her spine. "Hey! I do not snor...mphh!"

Kurosaki laughed even as he kissed her, holding her tight as her annoyance gave way to tender heat once more. He kissed her softly, deeply, giving her his love and devotion in physical for, holding her close as she took his feelings and gave them back a hundredfold.

He felt her jerk in his hold, and he realized that one of his hands had skimmed up her front to cover her breast through her tank top. He almost pulled away, but he realized that even as Teru was tensed up, she was leaning into his touch. God, she was amazing. He feathered his fingertips over her nipple and felt like a god when the nub immediately tightened to a hard pebble under his touch.

Teru gave a soft little moan against his mouth.

Realizing his hands were shaking, Kurosaki slid his arms back around her and gentled the kiss, leaving her mouth to drop soft kisses around her face until she stopped panting. Until he stopped panting

She rested her face against his throat as he rubbed soothing strokes up and down her back, gently rocking her. "Wow," she whispered hoarsely, making him smile. "You should have told me I was kissing you goodnight all wrong."

He thought of all the nights the past year where she'd knock on his door late at night, exhausted from cram school, just to give him a sweet peck goodnight before heading straight for bed. He wouldn't trade those for gold. "There are all kinds of goodnight kisses," he assured her, rubbing his cheek against her hair. "I'll show you."

She yawned against his skin. "Tomorrow?"

He lifted her off of his lap and set her on the futon where she immediately lay down and stretched. She lifted her hands above her head and he clenched his hands as her still-puckered nipples pressed taunt against her shirt. "Tomorrow."

Oblivious, she sat up with a sigh and reached for a glass of water. "Do you want the heater on?" I was much chillier in the mountains, she'd noticed, rubbing her arms.

"Nah." She turned around to find him under the thick comforter propped up on one elbow. He reached over and turned off the floor lamp then patted the space beside him.

She hurried under the covers, shivering now that she was no longer wrapped up in Kurosaki's warmth. She squeaked when his hair covered legs brushed against hers as he scooted closer. "That tickles." She could feel the heat of him wrap around her. She'd never need a space heater again.

"You'll get used to it," was his yawning response. "Up." She lifted her head and he slid his arm under her pillow.

"Won't your arm go to sleep?" She asked in an effort to ward off her nerves as curled up on his side beside her, his arm under head and his body inches from hers.

"Mmm," was her sleepy answer. "I love watching you go to sleep," he murmured into the dark. "You just drop off from one moment to the next. I could yank my arm out from under you tonight and you'd never wake up. It's amazing."

She started to tease him about his stalker tendencies with him watching her sleep, but realized that the last of his words had been slurred. She carefully turned on her side to face him and found his eyes closed, his hair falling over his forehead as his features softened into sleep.

Teru just lay there for several minutes, her eyes tracing his features as she basked in his warmth, his scent, even the feel of his muscled arm beneath her cheek. She wanted to snuggle up against his chest and just drink in the reality of him. But that might wake him up, she reminded herself and contented herself with staring.

She loved him so much. He'd been so careful with her today. She was nervous about what else was to come, but, and now her thighs clenched together in remembrance of the sensations he'd introduced, but she was looking forward to it. All of it. Her eyes went down his chest to where the blanket stopped at his waist. All of him.

She wanted to belong to him.

"Teru."

Her gaze shot guiltily to his face, but he was still asleep, she realized with a loving grin.

He said her name again and she reached up to smooth his hair back off his face, only to squeak with surprise as Kurosaki's arm shot out to wrap around her waist. She didn't know what to do as he dragged her the few short inches so that her nose was a scant inch from his chest. She then sucked in a breath as one large, long leg slid between hers until their limbs were in a hopeless tangle. She held still for several long seconds before she finally relaxed and snuggled against him as she'd wanted to. He gave a rumbling sound of contentment that had her pressing a kiss against his shirt and closing her eyes to the sound of his heart against her ear.

"I love you," she whispered as she fell asleep in his arms.


	35. Chapter 35

Kurosaki came awake to bright light filtering through the blinds and the sound of birds in the forest beyond the inn. He gave a small, cautious stretch, joyously conscious of the sleeping form tucked up against him, her head under his chin and her breath soft against his chest. He shifted a bit, then stilled as the slender arm she'd slid around his chest (after making its way under his shirt to rest against his skin) tightened a fraction before going limp once more in slumber.

He closed his eyes and just basked in the moment. He'd been in this situation before, of course, but under very different circumstances.

For one, she'd always woken up first.

He remembered being jolted out of sleep by her loudly apologizing to her brother for 'sleeping' with a man and having to explain how he'd ended up by her side for the whole night. The second time he'd been planning on sleeping on the floor of the hotel room they had to share, and had ended up stretched out on top of the covers, his hand clutched in hers. He'd woken up to a fully dressed, completely awake and blushing Teru as she let Riko into the room.

He'd also never fallen asleep first. He wondered if she'd watched him sleep like he had her. If she'd brushed the hair off of his face and wondered about his dreams. He'd even counted her eyelashes like a lovesick moron at one point.

But she probably wasn't that lame.

What she was was tiny. Make that slender, he amended as he ran a hand up and down her back.

And quintessentially female.

Every part of her was soft and delicate. Her long black hair felt like silk against his chin and where it draped over his arm. The arm she had slung over his side was a smooth and weightless warmth where her skin met his. And her legs… He took a deep, appreciative, calming breath when one of the silken limbs in question hitched higher where it lay over his hair-roughened one.

"Hmmm…".

Kurosaki stilled again as Teru burrowed closer to him in her sleep. When she settled once again he wrapped his free arm around her, his hand sliding under her hair until he could cup the back of her head in his hand.

He lay there, dazed in wonder and love at the welcoming murmur she gave even in her sleep, and realized that this was it. Neither of them would have to go to bed alone, be alone in the night, ever again. And the ultimate bonus, he thought as he curled around her even closer, he got to wake up to Teru, beside her, every. Single. Day.

"Mmm...Kurosaki?"

"Sorry," he whispered as he loosened his arms, her sleepy whisper making him wince in guilt even as his heart leapt at the sound of his name on her lips. He dropped a kiss to the the top of her head as she yawned. "Hi there."

Teru snuggled against his chest, smiling sleepily at the gravelly rumble of his voice under her cheek. "Time is it?"

He closed his eyes as her limbs contracted around him as she yawned once again. "Morning."

"Nghh" she groaned as she fought to wake up. But it was so hard, she mentally whined. She could feel the slight nip of the air outside the covers, but she was so nice and warm. Kurosaki's arms felt so good around her. And, she realized with a groan as her thoughts floated like dust motes through the air, he smelled sooo good. She could lay here forever. "Does it have to be morning?"

"Mm-hmm." He grinned as he brushed a wayward hair off her cheek. She still hadn't opened her eyes. He could tell she wasn't awake yet. And if she nuzzled him like this every morning he was going to be late to work every day for the rest of their lives. "'Fraid so."

"M-kay." She let go of him and rolled, her arms and legs sliding over his until she lay on her back, stretching her arms above her head and pointing her toes under the covers as she yawned.

He almost yanked her back against him, but the view was oh so very worth it. He propped his head up on his hand and watched as the cool air and her stretch made her nipples poke out against her tank top. His gaze dropped lower as the cover slid down to her waist and her shirt rose up as she stretched exposing the smooth expanse of her belly.

Teru opened her eyes with a sigh and crossed her arms over her head after her stretch. Becoming more awake by the second, she blushed. She had been twined around him like a furoshiki lunch wrap, she realized. Was that okay? Was he annoyed? Is that why he woke up first? And if it was okay, she wondered with a shiver, was she brave enough to do it on purpose now that she was awake.

"Kurosaki…", she turned her head to test the waters and trailed off as she found him intently staring at her...her eyes followed his and she blushed, realizing that her was staring at her exposed stomach with a serious expression. "Oh, oops!"

His beef with her exposing that particular feature was hilarious and prickly point between them, but only when she was trying to actively prod his temper. And she didn't want to upset him. Not today. She quickly moved to yank her shirt down. "Sorry, I...eep!"

The surprised sound escaped when Kurosaki moved with lightning swiftness, his hand snapping out to stop the descent of her top before she'd moved it an inch.

She gulped and, based on past experience, fought the urge to roll away in self-preservation. The last time she'd 'flashed' him he'd tickled her until she thought she'd throw up. Since her shirt was still in his grasp, she slid her hands down to cover her oh-so vulnerable tummy.

Kurosaki smiled at the move. He'd given her quite a bit of grief through the years about showing him her belly button. Now, he decided, was a good time to clue her in as to why.

Ready to beg him not to tickle her since she'd done it on accident, Teru bit back a yelp when he suddenly shifted, lying sideways so that he was he was laying half on and half off of her, pinning her legs down with his torso as he propped his elbows on either side of her hips.

"I don't...," she lost her words when he bent to drop a kiss to her hands. She wet her lips since her mouth had gone bone dry at the weight and the heat of him against her legs. "I don't think I should be penalized for doing it by accident."

"That's fair." He dropped down so that his chin rested on the hands that still covered her stomach. "Can I tell you something?" he asked, rubbing his bristly chin over the back of her hand.

Okay, she thought as her heart started to pick up speed, so maybe he wasn't going to tickle her. "Uh, of course."

He picked up one of her hands and kissed the palm, closing his eyes as he broke the kiss to rub the softness over his stubbly chin. He took his time, setting her hand on his shoulder and repeating the ritual with the other until her breathing was broken and her legs moved restlessly against him.

Breath none too steady himself, he raised his head and met her eyes. "Now, what did I want to tell you? Oh, yeah." He rested his chin on her now bared skin and had to resist the urge to bite when he felt the muscles there contract at the contact. "Have I ever told you why this," he dragged his chin lightly over her navel and felt her whole body shiver. "drove me nuts?"

"Um, I believe you used the words 'unladylike' more than once." Her hands clenched on his shoulders at the caress… and at the look in his eyes. "I didn't usually hear the rest because I was making a break for it."

"I remember. And now," He bent his head and inhaled the scent of her into his lungs. "I'd have the same reaction if we had company and you came out of your room in just a bra. Some things," he whispered, "should only be seen by the one who has the right to see everything." He dropped a kiss to her now whisker-burned skin and hummed his pleasure at her flinch. "Every time you were just being a little brat and flashed me a peek at this," he rubbed his chin directly over belly button again and fought not to groan when her nails dug into his shoulders. "I wanted to tear your shirt off the rest of the way and just rub my face all over that perfect skin that's hidden from the rest of the world," he nuzzled his cheek against the gentle curve of her stomach. "and do this."

A breathless, wordless cry escaped her as Kurosaki flicked his tongue over her skin, slowly, like he was savoring an ice cream cone. She moaned, her eyes squeezing shut and her torso jackknifing as he dipped his tongue into her navel. He just pressed her back without interrupting his treat.

It was a good thing that she'd been clueless, she thought hazily past her her panting breaths. She almost felt guilty for unknowingly teasing him, but the emotion and the thought stood no chance against the pleasure he now incited. She slid her hands up to his hair and hung on for dear life as he explored every inch of the space between her shirt and the top of the covers with his lips and tongue.

The taste of her, her hands in his hair, the sounds she made at his every little caress; they were making it nearly impossible to think. He could feel his own tightly-held control start to fray, so he fisted his hands in the futon on either side of her as he ran the tip of his nose along the edge of her ridden-up shirt.

"Teru?"

Her breath hitched. She knew what he was asking. She opened her eyes and met ones that held an irresistible mix of passion and tenderness...and nodded.

A groan and one last sucking kiss was his response before he raised himself on his elbows once more, letting go of the futon so that he could trace the with his fingers the edge where her shirt met skin.

She jerked when he wrapped one large hand around her waist and slowly slid it up, taking her shirt with it. Her hands slid from his hair to pluck gingerly at his shirt. "Can you...will you, too?" her voice shook with nerves and feeling.

He grinned, delighted with her. "Grab the back. Pull it off." He wanted to keep his hands on her as long as possible. He ducked his head and arched his back to help as she pulled the t-shirt past his shoulders. He took over then, lifting one hand to pull it over his head and down his arms until it lay in a pool by his elbow.

Oh. Oh, boy. Whatever brain cells she had left after his earlier ministrations leaked out of her ears as a shirtless Kurosaki lay propped above her. She brought her hand back to his shoulder and nearly jerked it back at the heat that poured off of him.

He blew out a shaky breath at her touch, his muscles bunching under her fingertips. He grit his teeth and dipped his head to her torso once more, lavishing slow attention to each new wonder his hands uncovered as they inched her shirt slowly over her ribcage.

Why was he going so slow, she wondered feverishly. He seemed fascinated by every curve, every muscle, and he wouldn't be hurried, despite the fact that each tug of her hands on his shoulders or his hair made him groan and mutter against her skin. He hadn't even kissed her good morning, she realized.

Suddenly Teru wanted that more than she wanted to breathe. She tugged harder on the fistfuls of hair in her grasp. "Kiss me."

"I am kissing you." To demonstrate, he placed a wet, open-mouthed kiss on the smooth expanse of skin he'd just uncovered directly beneath her breast.

"Yes," she whispered, her head falling back against the pillow. "Wait," she shook her head, "No. Really kiss me. Please, Kurosaki."

The honest plea in her voice had him lifting his head. She uncurled her fingers from his blond strands and slid her hands to the side of his face. The look she gave him from her soft, slumberous eyes made his heart squeeze with that most painful, precious ache.

So he shifted, sliding up her body and sliding one arm under her back until he could cup his hand over her shoulder while the other brushed a strand of hair off of her face. He kept his weight off of her by resting on his elbows, but she drew him down, her eyelids fluttering shut at that first, simple, chaste press of lips.

She made a deeply contented sound as they drew apart and he wondered if she knew how completely and utterly she owned him.

So he sipped from her lips, taking small kisses from lips again and again until they were soft and puffy. Her mouth opened of her own accord after each one as she sought a longer, deeper kiss. Instead of giving it to her, he gently bit her lower lip, making her gasp and wrap her arms around his neck. "Kurosaki!"

The gentle complaint made him smile, even as the feel of her under him made him throb. "What? I'm kissing you." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and laughed as she all but growled. "Sorry, but you deserve it. I was _this_ close to soft perfection and you stopped me." He hugged her closer, deliberately moving so that his chest hair dragged against her skin...and the taunt nipples that had so far evaded his attention. Smiling against her mouth at the way her breath caught, he whispered, "I think the least you can do to make it up to me is to call me Tasuku." He caught her lower lip in his teeth and let go when she whimpered. "You can do it," he whispered teasingly. "Say it, Teru."

"Tasuku," she sighed, no hesitation as she looked into his eyes. Daisy. Kurosaki. Tasuku. They were all hers. "Kiss me."

He could nothing else in that moment as she drew him down and opened her mouth under his. The following sumptuous, tongue-tangling kiss had both of them groaning and holding each other even tighter.

"Tasuku," she groaned in protest when he lifted his head. "What…" She opened her eyes when he unwound her arms from his neck and propped himself on his elbows once more, removing his weight. "What are you doing?"

Instead of answering, he looked her in the eye and took a hold of the bottom of her tank top.

She couldn't speak, so she just nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as he drew it up and off. She braced herself for him to slide back down and pick up where he left off before the kiss, but instead she moaned, settled himself against her once more. Yesterday he'd held her tightly in his arms when her top had been off, and the sensation of his chest against hers had been electric. This, she realized as his weight pressed her breasts so firmly to his hard chest, was the last delicious element that she hadn't even known she'd been missing.

He watched her neck arch on a gasp as he deliberately, slowly, rubbed his torso against hers. Her eyes opened as his own groan reverberated through her small frame, making her nipples pinch even tighter at the sound. He settled one hand in her hair, holding her still as he they stared into each other's eyes. He didn't kiss her. Not yet. He wanted to see her face when he…

Teru couldn't help the small cry as he shifted to the side just enough so that his other hand could settle over her small breast. Her back arched on a gasp as his hand learned the heft of her small curves before his fingers deliberately plucked at the tight bud of her nipple.

Kurosaki wanted to slide down and feast on the perfection in his hand, but he couldn't look away from her face. She was flushed a bewitching pink and her skin was now glistening with perspiration as she panted out her pleasure, her hands once again on his shoulders or in his hair. Her legs, free of his weight, shifted restlessly beneath the covers. He switched his attentions to the other small mound and found himself echoing her full-body shiver. It was every man's dream to have a woman who loved your touch, and her untutored responses beat every hopeful wish he'd ever imagined in his fevered fantasies.

"I love you so much."

Teru forced her eyes open at the guttural words and moaned afresh at the intense look on Kurosaki's face. She raised a hand and traced the slash of red at his cheekbone. "Me, too. I love you, too," she whispered. "So much."

He let go of her breast and brought his hand up to her face where he traced all the curves and angles of her features until her breathing had calmed and she was nuzzling kisses into his palm. He lowered his head once again and kissed her softly, the tension he'd aroused smoothing out until she was soft as wax beneath him. He smoothed both hands over her hair as she sighed.

"Are we stopping?" She asked shyly, tipping her to the side as he feathered kisses along her jaw up to her ear.

"Mm hmm." He raised his head and smiled lovingly down at her. "And that's your fault."

She wanted to drag him down by his ears and convince him without words that he didn't need to stop. Instead, still feeling shy despite being shirtless and pressed against him so casually, she ran her fingertips along his stubbled jaw. "How so?"

"Because you," he turned his head to nibble playfully at her fingertips, making her giggle, "filled out the breakfast form for room service."

She frowned, her fingers stilling on his face. "How does that stop…," her eyes went wide and wheeled around the room, looking for a clock. She remembered now that she'd checked the box for 'come in after knocking'. "Oh. Oh crap!" She pushed at his shoulders. "What time is it? They're probably coming in like 2 minutes! Let me up!"

He didn't budge, but instead enjoyed the visual and physical results of the effort she made to get out from under him. "Well, you were the last one into bed last night. You should have closed the shoji screen. Tsk tsk, Teru."

"That's not funny!" She finally escaped and sat up on her knees, hands on her hips, to glare down at him.

He turned to his side and propped his head on his hand as he enjoyed the view. He'd bet an external harddrive that she'd forgotten she was topless. "I know it's not funny." He reached out and drew a finger from the dip of her collarbone to the upper slope of her bared breast, making her suck in a breath as she remembered. He dropped his hand and laughed as she lunged for her top. "I had..._plans_ for this morning and you screwed them up with your need for a prompt and proper breakfast."

Teru grinned even as she blushed. She smoothed a hand over her now-clad top and shot him a coy look from under her lashes. "I...I think I could survive without breakfast for a few days."

Kurosaki looked surprised for a moment, then gave her a slow, wicked smile that somehow had all the muscles in her thighs going loose. Suddenly self-conscious, she crossed her arms over her chest as she looked around the room, or more specifically, at everything but him. "Um, wow! This room is even better in the daylight."

Snickering, he let her get away with it for maybe five seconds before he sat up yanked her forward by her tanktop into a quick but fervent kiss. When he pulled back she looked so dazed and soft that he had to stop himself from what would surely be a wanton act of exhibitionism in another minute or two. "Good morning. " He drew his knuckles down her cheek and kissed her forehead. "Again."

That made her laugh. "Good morn...eek!" She jumped at the knock on the door and almost bashed him in the nose as she rushed to stand up. "They're here! Where's my robe?" Kurosaki's shirt was unceremoniously tossed in his face before Teru ran into the other room. "Put your shirt on! Do I look o..oh! Um, good morning!"

Kurosaki chuckled and tugged his shirt on as he listened to Teru interact with the annoyingly cheerful and timely maid who'd brought them breakfast. Tonight, he vowed silently as he stood up with a stretch, he'd be the one to fill out the menu card. He'd also, he decided with a deep breath, utilize that handy 'Do Not Disturb' sign they'd so graciously provided.

He walked into the front room to find Teru bent head to head with the maid over what seemed like way too much food. She looked up at him with such a welcoming, shy, and lovingly intimate smile that he wanted to boot the nice kimono-dressed maid out on her ass.

He thanked her instead and sat across from Teru as they had their entire breakfast explained to them like they were morons. She frowned at him to get him to stop scowling, but she still wiggled her toes against his leg and took his hand.

Definitely no breakfast tomorrow.


	36. Chapter 36

The breakfast was delicious and filling but Kurosaki knew that if someone asked him about it ten minutes from now he wouldn't be able to tell them one thing about what he'd eaten.

It was Teru's fault, of course.

Besides bringing their breakfast, the maid had also brought in an entire stack of tourist brochures and pamphlets as well as the day's menu and onsen choices. So he'd spent the entire breakfast watching Teru as she read him each pamphlet in between her own bites. He made special note of the ones that made her face light up or elicited ooh's and ah's and even delighted in her more academic, yet still politely interested, tones when some point of interest was obviously not that interesting.

He particularly enjoyed it when she bounced up and down as she was doing now.

"Ooooh! We should do the azalea fields first. You never know how long the flowers are going to last."

"What? No ziplining?" He tapped a finger on his favorite brochure.

"No, Kurosaki," she said simply with a smile. "No ziplining. Oooh!" She snatched up a lis from the hotel. "And when we get back we can go to the baths!"

He nodded absently and reached out to pick up a lock of her hair. He rubbed the soft tresses between his fingers before giving it a gentle tug. "So we're back to that, huh?"

"Back to what?" She asked absently.

"Back to 'Kurosaki'," he said teasingly and let go of her hair to rest his chin in his hands as he grinned at her from across the table. "You called me 'Tasuku' readily enough this morning."

She knew she was blushing, but Teru kept her eyes on the papers in her hands and tried not to fidget.

"You're fidgeting," he drawled.

"All right!" She ignored his chuckle and threw the pamphlets on the table so she could point at him accusingly. "Why did you ask me to call you by your given name while we...we...? Now I…," she smacked her hands to her cheeks to try to hide the blush. "Now whenever I think it or if I even think of saying it I'll automatically think of...of…"

"Sexy times?" he provided helpfully. He stared at her as she grabbed a glass of water

to supposedly drown her embarrassment. He nodded his head slowly. "You know what I just realized? I am a genius."

That just drew a perplexed frown from the perfect woman sitting across from him. "I know that. So?"

Seriously. The perfect woman. "So," he took her hand and tugged her forward until they were nose to nose. "You're telling me that by waiting to have you say my name until I had you naked, well, mostly naked," he amended with a tap to her nose. "that now you associate it with being naked with me? Hmmm." He stared at her for a moment, then grinned bigger than ever and leaned forward to give her a quick, smacking kiss. "Sweet. Say 'Tasuku' right now and tell me what you're thinking of."

That got him a snicker and a hand on his face as she pushed him back.

He wiggled his eyebrows as she stifled another giggle and blushed as she started stacking the dishes back on the trays. "You just said it in your mind didn't you? Was I naked?" He watched her shoulders shake as he stretched out on his side beside the table and reclined up on his elbow. "Oooh wait, were you naked? I bet you were naked. Wait!" He called out as she stood up and made a beeline for the restroom. "If it makes you feel better I frequently think of you naked when I say your name."

"What did you say? I'm getting ready now!" She called out in a sing-song voice. "I can't hear you."

Chuckling as the door closed behind her, he reached out and gathered the brochures then lay back on the tatami. "Azaleas, huh?" He sighed and tapped the picture, then smiled as he pictured her lovingly tending the blue daisies as school. "Oh, what the hell."


	37. Chapter 37

Teru and Kurosaki spent the morning riding through the rolling highlands of Nasu on their way to the flower farms. They stopped occasionally at particularly picturesque spots to ooh and ah at the scenery and take typical tourist photos; hamming it up and flashing the 'V' for the camera.

Well, typical until Kurosaki started hauling her close for a kiss at every stop, making her head swim every time as he snapped a quick shot with his phone.

The flower farms, with their miles of azaleas in early bloom, made Teru sigh and Kurosaki smile (at her). They walked hand in hand along the paths between the bushes that covered every shade of purple and pink. She chided him when he broke off a single soft flower and put it in her hair, but he noticed that she kept raising a hand to touch it as they continued their hike.

Now they walked through the nearby town of Nasu. They ate lunch off from street vendors as they shopped for more souvenirs to take home to their friends. He called her 'grandma' for getting a traditional yaki imo or sweet potato, making her laugh as he then proceeded to hit on her in his 'old man' voice. She patted his shoulder when he got crepes from three different vendors and assured him solemnly that she'd still love him when he was fat.

"What are you doing?"

Teru jerked a little as she finished taking a picture of their joined hands with her phone. "Nothing," she murmured, then squeezed his hand. "Thank you again for the flowers," she said, speaking of the baby potted azalea he'd bought from the gift shop.

"What else was I going to do," Kurosaki teased as he squeezed hers back. "You kept going back to the little runt and staring at it like it was a puppy in a window." He shrugged. "Now we see if we can just keep the thing alive in our room until we get home."

"We can do it." The thought of their now having a 'home' together made her scrunch her shoulders in pleasure. "So what do you want to do next?" She pulled a piece of paper from her purse. "We still have to get souvenirs for everyone." She gave him a poke. "And I'm not sure potpourri counts for the guys."

"Are you kidding?" He poked her back, making her squeal. "Boss puts that smelly crap even in the men's room at the Flower Garden. At least this azalea stuff smells good. And I will bet you 100 yen that Andy has it in his place. On _purpose_."

Teru pursed her lips and tried not to laugh. "No bet."

Kurosaki watched her fold the paper to put it back and noticed it wasn't a brochure as he'd thought. "What's that?" It looked hand-written.

Her 'it's my list' would have satisfied him if she hadn't murmured, blushed, and shoved it much too forcefully into her purse. All at the same time.

He grinned down at the top of her head.

Teru smiled up at him as he let go of her hand to slide his arm around her shoulders. She sighed when he pulled her close, leaning her head against his side as he uncrinkled the paper from her purse… "Hey!" She made a grab for the bag he'd slipped from her shoulder.

Kurosaki handed it as he held the paper above her hopping reach. "And what's this?" He tsked and booped her nose. "Are you keeping secrets from Daisy, Princess?"

She grabbed a hold his shirt and tried to pull down/climb up his torso. "It's just a list. Give it back!"

"Ah, ah, ah. Lying is worse than a secret," he sang, enjoying her attempts to span their foot difference in height and arm-length. He walked over to a bench in the empty little park they were passing and stood on it. He folded the paper in half before clearing his throat and putting a solemn hand on his chest. "A reading of Kurebayashi Teru by Kurosaki Tasuku. Ahem."

She looked around frantically for any gawkers. Finding thing that they were alone she just sat down beside him on the bench and hid her face in her hands as he kept reading. Her only consolation was that he hadn't turned the paper over yet. She knew exactly what he was reading.

**Vacation List**

Souvenirs for

Riko (earrings or classy lotion)

Andy (no clue. Ask Kurosaki)

Boss (regional spices or local historical warfare map)

Akira (local candy)

The list went on through her school friends and she had a bit if a reprieve as some of her gift choices made him pause to either laugh or editorialize (apparently one did _not_ get dogs vacation souvenirs).

"Ahem." Kurosaki felt kind of bad about torturing his fiancé, but seriously. These were not blush-worthy scribbles. "Page 2." He turned the paper over, expecting a list of nerdy tourist sites. ""Questions for Kurosaki. # 1. When do you want to get married?"." He stopped as he recognized the question and just read on quietly. The first few were the questions she'd asked when they were driving to the onsen.

Questions suggested by Rena.

He stepped down off the bench and sat down beside Teru, who currently had her jacket hood up, her face buried in her hands, and her small purse on top of her head like she was attempting to hide under it. He just put a hand on her back and rubbed comfortingly as he finished reading the multicolumn list.

He blew out a breath and folded the paper back up into a neat square, took the purse off of her head and put the paper in a side pocket. He gently placed the strap over her head, where it then swung like a metronome as they sat there in silence for a full minute.

He clasped his hands between his knees. "I'm sorry for teasing you," he said simply. But not for reading it, he added silently.

She nodded.

He cleared his throat and leaned back, stretching his arms along the back of the bench. "So at least two kids, huh?" He said, referring to the note beside question #5. "That seems a little low to me, but yeah, at least two." He'd been alone, but at least Teru had had her brother for a while.

He went through the next few mundane questions, like assuring her he'd teach her how to drive and that they'd take turns cooking. "Now," he scooted closer to her hunched figure and played with the tip of her hood before pulling it back to reveal her black, glossy hair. He picked up a strand and let it go to watch it dance in the wind. "I'm afraid that I can't answer questions 8-23."

He waited until she peeked up at him through his fingers in confusion. "Really?"

"Really." He watched her sit up and finger her purse like she wanted to get out the paper and double-check what 8-23 were. He'd bet she didn't even know what some/most of them _meant_.

Kurosaki put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. You know, so she couldn't run. "I'm sorry. Let me clarify," he said with a wag of his finger. "I can't, no, I won't," he said seriously, "answer them unless we're both naked." He ignored her squeak and turned to face her, bringing his arm up to brace against the arm of the bench, effectively caging her in the corner. "It's okay," he crooned with a snicker as he kissed eyes that were closed in mortification. "Trust me. Some things should only be answered behind closed doors, for privacy's sake. Others need visual aids. And others," he scooted even closer and tipped her chin up, pausing until her eyes fluttered open. He smiled, and it wasn't leering or smirking. Instead, it was loving and tender. Teru smiled shyly back as he lowered his head. "others require demonstration," he finished on a whisper against her lips.

"Oh, okay," she whispered back as her head fell back to rest on the arm across the back of the bench. Her eyes closed as his lips pressed against hers softly, repeatedly, until she was a boneless, panting mess that had to hold on to his shirt or slide off the bench.

"Please excuse the intrusion, but isn't it a little early for that?"

The breathless pair pulled back to stare wide-eyed at each other until the polite voice spoke again, asking if they need any help…or possibly a hotel accommodation.

They turned around to find a crisply uniformed police officer standing beside the bench, arms behind his back as he patiently waited for an answer.

Teru scrambled up off the bench and bowed at the waist. "We're so sorry! Please excuse us!" She grabbed Kurosaki's hand and with another bow, ran from the pretty little park.

She finally had to stop. Kurosaki couldn't move very fast when he was almost bent over laughing.

"That was not funny!"

He wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh princess, it was. I love these backwoods cops. We weren't even doing anything." He gestured to her purse. "We were just kissing. No tongue or anything and he acted like we were doing a public version of #14!"

She almost reached for the paper to see what he was talking about, but stopped herself just in time. "I thought really nice about it."

He put his arm around her shoulder as they started walking again. "Just wait. A Tokyo cop would have ignored that very chaste example of pda. It takes a lot more that to get them to break up a pair of lovers on a park bench. You'll see."

"Um, anyway." Teru put a cool hand to her hot cheeks. "What do you want to do next? Do you want to go back to the hotel?"

His moment of silence had her clueing in fast. "Um, I mean…"

"How about," he interrupted softly as he took one of her hands and turned it over to kiss the palm. "We go take a look at some of those famous, ancient suspension bridges you were waxing on about this morning, huh?" He winked at her as they turned back towards the car. "We've got time for everything."


	38. Chapter 38

They'd left the little town and visited the two suspension bridges that the area was known for. The Momijidani pedestrian bridge spanned a good-sized river and was an impressive (and safe as far as he was concerned) steel structure surrounded by beautiful nature. It had the added benefit of being nearly deserted, which had allowed him the pleasure her across the bridge until he pinned her to a tree to steal a kiss.

The second bridge however, the Tsutsuji, was a simple, beautifully maintained all-wooden structure that was only a few meters above a gentle stream (versus the hundred meters above an actual river).

And it had scared him spitless.

Maybe it was the crowds of people all packed onto the bridge to see the last of the plum blossoms over the water. Maybe it was the way Teru seemed to have no fear as she all but climbed over the side of the bridge to take a picture. And maybe, Teru had suggested as she rubbed his back while he sat with his head between his knees when they were back on solid ground, it was because steel and tech-minded Kurosaki didn't trust ancient wooden structures not to plunge him to his death.

They went directly back to the inn (thanks to his still-clammy state) and decided that the best answer to his disturbed equilibrium and their aching feet would be the baths. They'd dropped off their purchases in their room when they'd returned and had interrupted a maid airing their futons and changing the water in their private onsen. Robbed of their moment of solitude, they'd grabbed their yukatas and walked hand in hand to the baths where they'd parted with a kiss to their gender-specific bathing sections.

Kurosaki adjusted the small towel on his head and relaxed with a sigh against the hot stone that lined the onsen. This particular near-boiling emerald green pool contained compounds that promote stress reduction, muscle detoxification, and vascular health.

It also contained one ancient old man that would not shut the fuck up.

"And that black and yellow one out there," the annoying stranger rasped, one gnarled finger pointed to a pool outside surrounded by a tall fence. "Has sulphur in it, which has done wonders for my rheumatism."

"Uh huh. I know. You told me." Kurosaki tried closing his eyes, hoping the old geezer would get the hint, but he was apparently blind as well as deaf and just kept prattling on. "Twice."

Despite the company, the onsen were amazing. The water felt like silk and he could actually feel his muscles loosening strand by strand.

And all he could think about was that Teru was across the hallway in the women's section. Naked.

He raised a hand and watched the water trickle back down, some of it twining in rivulets down his arm. He pictured it doing the same over her delicate limbs and silken skin and had to take a deep breath.

Kurosaki didn't realize he'd sighed until the old man patted his shoulder in sympathy.

"Don't let it get you down," he said, apparently continuing the 'conversation' that Kurosaki had been ignoring. "She's young. She'll get used to you. You just have to be patient." The geezer slapped his shoulder and pointed towards the women's section. "They have all sorts of pools there that men don't need. Ones that will make her feel much better." His bushy eyebrows wiggled. "And over here for the men we have a carbonated pool in there that will help with all sorts of circulation issues." He nudged him with an elbow in that old-man-way and winked. "It will be useful while you're here with your young lady."

Kurosaki closed his eyes once more and sat there repeating a new sutra that involved not beating up the elderly. Once he was calm again, he glared at his pool-mate. "How about you mind your own business, old man?" He grabbed the towel off his head and got ready to vacate this particular pool before someone got their head dunked. "And don't talk about my fiancé like that. Ever. Got it?"

He stomped across the room to another pool and sat down with a small splash to angrily face the wall. He heard tsks from some of the other old men that were using the onsen (seriously! Was this a retirement home!) and heard the movement of water as others left their pools to take Kurosaki's place.

"Such a temper, that one!"

"He sounded like you when you were that age."

"I remember my honeymoon with my Siska. We could have used an onsen that weekend. Ha ha!"

And on and on it went. These chirpy old men recounting their first times and their wedding nights until Kurosaki wanted to screw onsen etiquette and bury his head under the water. At least he had until one thin and reedy voice piped in.

"My Natori and I just slept side-by-side that first night without doing anything but kiss! She seemed so scared and I didn't want to scare her even more by just jumping on her like I wanted to. She was so much smaller than me, you see. The next morning she threw her tea at me and asked what the hell I was waiting for. Well, let me tell you, she still looked a bit scared, but it all turned out in the end."

His friends hooted with laughter and Kurosaki turned to look at the storyteller just in time to see him smile at the memory. The frail, but still tall, old man caught the look and nodded at Kurosaki. He nodded back then turned around once more, oddly comforted by the dirty old men and their ancient, yet timeless, trials in love. So he sat back, allowed the onsen to work its magic, and passed the time imagining Teru naked.

"And that pool over there, coupled with the slippery elm ointment that I already put in your toiletry basket in your room, should help if you find you're having trouble walking the next day."

"Thank you so much for the information, Obaasan," Teru said as she tried not to simply perish from embarrassment as the owner of the inn shared her seemingly endless store of wisdom.

Midori-sama waved her hand as she got up out of the water from what she called her 'daily soak'. "I'm just telling you what I told all my daughters and granddaughters. It will make everything that much better," she said with a wink as she out on her robe. She stopped at the door and looked back at the young woman who reminded her of herself all those years ago. "You just come and talk to me if you have any questions."

Teru could only nod as she watched the tiny, wrinkled old woman leave. As soon as she did, Teru took her modesty towel and tried to wrap it around her head until it hopefully smothered her. Her time in the baths had started out alright. She'd gone around to each one and read the signs that explained their contents and their rejuvenative, therapeutic, or healing properties.

The inn owner had come in as she was ladling milky-white magnesium water over arms and sat in the pool beside her. Happy at having the opportunity to ask the source, she respectfully asked her about the inn and about the onsens. She'd learned that spending a week at an onsen (like they were doing!) actually had a special name; _isshukan hitomegur._ She learned about the ancient healer Goto Konzan who trained 200 apprentices in natural medicine and treatments using onsen. The old woman made her laugh as she shared stories from the past about the inn and those characters that had frequented it. Her explanation about the healing and therapeutic properties of the waters had quickly progressed to some very personal stories and some earthly, sage advice.

Advice that still had her cheeks hot in a way that had nothing to do with the near-boiling water.

"Hello. Are you okay?"

Teru unwrapped the towel from her head and nodded at the newcomer. "Yes, thank you."

It was impolite to watch, but Teru couldn't help it as she made her way to the skin therapy pool. This lady was gorgeous; wavy hair piled on top of her head in an artful mess and curves that rivaled the winding, mountainous roads. She looked down at her own subtle female form and sighed.

"My name is Yasu. Don't you just love this place?" The chatty woman asked as she settled in with a sigh. "My husband and I have been coming here for years. I tell all my friends about it. Isn't that old lady a hoot." She didn't wait for a response as she waved at the door. "I passed her as I came in. And let me tell you," she said emphatically as she pulled two cucumber slices out from nowhere to set them on her eyes. "If you ever have a question about _anything_," she said with a giggle. "Just ask her. She knows everything about everything. Cucumber slice?"

Teru, dressed in her yukata and carrying her bundle of clothes, came out of the women's section into the hallway just as Kurosaki came out of a bow to a tall, old man.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"You, too, Tasuku. Have a nice stay." The old man walked away, smiling at Teru with a nod as he ambled down the hallway.

"Hi." She eyed Kurosaki with a worried frown. "Are you alright?"

"What do you mean?" He asked as he brushed a hair off her forehead. God, just look at her with her messy hair and flushed cheeks. There was only so much he could take. Maybe he shouldn't have tried the bath for 'circulation'.

"Because," she said slowly, pointing over her shoulder. "I just saw you be nice and respectful to an old man."

He took her bundle and added it to his own so he could take her hand. "I'm always nice."

"You sat too close to the sulphur vents, didn't you?"

"Fine," he said with roll of his eyes. "I'm always nice to people who don't annoy the shit out of me." He leaned down and made her giggle when he took a long sniff at her hair. "He was interesting. Turn out he's that old lady's husband. They've owned this in forever. Since they were married, actually." He watched, intrigued, as Teru blushed bright red. "What?"

"Nothing," that I'll ever tell you, she finished silently as she thought of several of the stories that Midori-san had shared. "His wife was in the baths for a while while I was in there."

Kurosaki watched her with narrowed eyes for a second before he smiled slowly. "Told you some stories, did she?" He jerked his head towards the men's side where she could hear the muffled sound of voices. "I bet I've got you beat. You wouldn't believe what a bunch of old men will talk about when there are no women around."

She fought the urge to cover her ears, her own still ringing with the words of the inn owner. "Weren't the baths amazing? And besides Midori-san I only had one other person in there me." A very friendly, wordy person.

"Mm-hmm," he replied absently, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand and marvelling that her skin could, in fact, get softer thanks to the baths.

"Hey," Teru watched as Kurosaki raised her hand and shivered when he rubbed her knuckles along his chin. "Did Midori-san just call you Tasuku?"

"Yeah," he said absently as he subtly backed her against the hallway wall. "It must be an old guy thing. I told him my name and after a few stories back and forth he's calling me by my first name." He ran a finger down her neck to the top of her collar and watched the pulse in her throat jump.

She couldn't help but pout the smallest bit. "He knows you for two hours and you're on a first name basis?"

If he could catch her in another pout when he had his camera phone, he would have his new favorite screen saver. "No. He's on a first name basis because he's being a familiar bastard." He leaned an arm above her head on the wall and leaned down to kiss her neck, breathing against her skin just to feel her shiver. "You know not every yahoo has that privilege, Princess." He dragged the tip of his nose against her neck and up her jaw until he could whisper hotly in her ear, "Just those special few."

"Tasuku? Is that you?"

They both froze at the sound of that voice, until Kurosaki slowly straightened up to face the figure coming out of the women's onsen. "Yasu-chan," he said calmly, aware of how stiff Teru had gone beside him. "It's been a long time."

Yasu smiled and sauntered, Teru thought with a scowl, really, sauntered over to _her_ Tasuku. "About five years. And who is this?" She asked with a voice full of cheerful curiosity.

He reached out a hand and waited Teru slowly raised her own to take it. He then drew her forward until she was solidly beside him. "Teru, this is an old colleague of mine, Yasu," he said simply. "Yasu," Teru looked up at his face as his voice noticeably brightened with pride and love. "This is Teru, my fiance."

The woman clapped her hands in delight and jumped up and down on her toes. There are things, Teru thought, that no D cup should do without a bra. She sneaked a peak at Kurosaki, no, _Tasuku_, she corrected herself, and found him smiling at her instead of the busty show in front of them.

"I'm so happy for you! Just wait until I tell Fumio," mentioning the husband she'd waxed on about while they were in the baths. "Tell me, how did you meet."

"Actually," Teru began, "You might know my brot…"

"Ooooh, Teru," he interrupted in suddenly serious tones. "We have that couples massage scheduled in about two minutes." He tapped a wrist conspicuously (to her) devoid of a watch and raised his eyebrows to impossible heights. "We have to go or they'll give it away to those people on the waiting list."

"That's right." She said seamlessly. "We have to run. It was nice to meet you, Yasu-chan."

"You, too Teru. Bye Tasuku!" she sang as she flounced away. "Congratulations!"

They walked in silence for a few moments back towards their room until Kurosaki cleared his throat. "Sorry about that. But, never mention to that woman that your last name is Kurebayashi. She will never shut up if she finds out and you'll never get rid of her." He cleared his throat again when she only nodded. "And, um, that wasn't what it looked like. Back there. With her. We never, um, you know."

"Oh?" She asked innocently. He couldn't know that the woman had shared the whole story of her love life (her husband only, actually) with her in the baths. What was it about those baths? In any case, she thought she might enjoy a flustered Tasuku.

And he was now Tasuku. She'd decided the instant that woman, that virtual stranger, had called him by his given name. There was no way she was going to let a little inconvenient naked imagery stop her from claiming him on this simple, but intimate level.

"Hey," she said softly, interrupting his sweetly nervous and rambling work history. She stopped walking so she could look into his eyes. "I love you, Tasuku."

His smile was wide and instantaneous. "You little brat," he said with a laugh. He knew exactly what she was doing. "Come here."

"But," she took a step back, scandalized. "We're in the hallway."

"You know what, you're right." She looked perplexed as he solemnly handed her the folded clothes he'd been carrying, only to gasp in surprise as his now-free arms swooped her up off her feet. He laughed again as she gave a little squeak and what could he do but kiss her? "Let's fix that right now." And strode off down the hall to their room.


	39. Chapter 39

**To those with a low blush threshold, I apologize in advance. And by 'apologize', I mean 'you're welcome' ;-)**

It took about five minutes to walk back to their room from the baths. They passed several people, mostly older guests who smiled and silently nodded their heads in greeting. Teru and Tasuku responded in kind and kept walking. Teru might have been more embarrassed and nervous except that Tasuku kept up a running, mundane conversation as they walked: How were the baths? Were they the same as the men's? Were there many people in there? Did she get enough to eat at lunch? She answered each question seriously and asked a few of her own, aware and grateful that he was being purposefully normal so that she could keep her cool.

He stopped in front of their door and looked down at Teru in his arms as she stared at the door and took a deep breath. He also noticed the way her hands clenched with nerves in the clothes she held.

Easy does it, he reminded himself.

"So it's only about 2 o'clock", he told her in an easy tone as he shifted her in his arms and opened the door, shutting it with his foot as they came inside. He watched her toss their clothes bundle towards the hamper and smiled when she missed by a mile. His arms tightened when she wiggled as though to get down. "Dinner is going to come around 8 PM. What do you want to do until then?"

Teru went completely still in his arms. She didn't know what to do. She knew what she _wanted_ to do. She wanted to play, to explore this amazing side of Tasuku that she'd seen glimpses of the past year. She was, in fact, feeling much more comfortable with him. Each new avenue he showed her made her feel less embarrassed and more, well, eager for the next new thing.

The thought of telling him so also made her want to go hide in the forest surrounding the inn.

Tasuku stifled a chuckle as she wordlessly stared out the window and blushed. "How about a movie?" He jerked his chin towards the entertainment center that hung from the wall in the next room as she turned to look at him in, god, was that…disappointment.

Perfect.

"There's no couch, but we can roll out one futon and then leave the other folded so we can lean back against it." He leered a little just so she didn't get the wrong idea about his intentions. "It's important to be comfortable when you make out and fool around in front of the TV."

She grabbed the front of his robe in reflex as he let go her legs so that she slid down his front to the floor. She blushed again as she remembered his boxer briefs poking out from the middle of his clothes bundle from the baths. Without thinking she asked, "Why do we have to watch TV?"

Tasuku's hands held her arms tighter for a fraction of time before smoothing down to take her hands. "Because," he brought each hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "this way I get to slowly seduce you while you're otherwise occupied." He let go of her hands and winked as he opened the closet to haul out the futons. "Who will win: the man nibbling on your neck or the fascinating TV show? Only time will tell!"

Teru smiled at her wonderful, moronic man who was easing her in instead of just ravishing her... even if she didn't think she'd mind the ravishment. She flapped her hands for a moment, then turned towards the restroom as he arranged the futons. "Okay, um, I'll go change and then…"

"Please don't."

His simple, quiet statement had her feet and her breath stopping in the doorway. She turned her head and met his eyes, eyes that told her he knew damn well she was naked under her yukata.

Just like he was.

She put hands to her hot cheeks then flapped them just once more. "Okay, um, I'll get us some drinks, then."

Tasuku straightened from his crouch and watched her as she rummaged through the mini fridge in the next room. He'd tortured himself more than once this past year by watching a movie with her on the couch during one of the few nights off they'd share. Most of the time she fell asleep against his shoulder half an hour in and he'd just luxuriate in the feel of her pressed up against him. Otherwise, they'd sit side by side and he'd play with her hair or steal quick, small kisses as they'd watch.

He'd purposefully kept it light; a few kisses, a possessive hand on her knee. The one or two times it had gotten a little...heavier, he'd been a bit tipsy and his ever present control had slipped just a smidge.

He shook his head at himself. It _had _been a long time if he was calling a little deep kissing heavy. He looked at his makeshift couch and all but rubbed his hands together. When he'd been a horny asshole of a young man he'd thought sex was the only thing that mattered. He'd never savored the small steps and intimacies that could be just as… satisfying. "If you take any longer I'm going to fall asleep," he called out as he grabbed the remote and arranged himself on the futon.

Teru walked back in their drinks on a little tray that included some peeled oranges. "Sorry, sorry," she told him as she set the tray by his side. "They left a bowl of oranges and I didn't want to get up for snacks once the, um, movie started."

Tasuku noticed that she said all of this without looking at him. He grabbed her hand when she went to sit beside him. "Ah, ah, ah" He patted scooted back so that he sat upright against the futons at his back and patted the space between his legs. "Right here," he told her with a slow smile. "Where you can be comfortable and lean back against me."

She stared at the spot. He'd rucked up his yukata so that it now sat in a pool in his lap, keeping him modest even as his legs spread to accommodate her slight figure. Still… "Um, will that be comfortable for you?"

He shrugged his shoulders and tugged her down. "Sure. This is how we always sit when I kick your ass at video games, right?" And swear to god, his hands having to stay on the controllers were the only thing that had stood between him and an early wedding. "And," he handed her the remote and sighed with pleasure as she settled back against him. "Comfort is overrated."

Teru scrunched up her nose as she figured out the controller and started flipping through the movie choices. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," he told her as she quickly decided on a Korean romantic comedy about a man getting stranded on a deserted island in the middle of a metropolitan river. "I loved having you so close," he wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. "but it usually took a couple of hours or a long, cold shower to become comfortable again."

He closed his eyes with a smile and snuggled her silent form a little tighter. "That's so cool. I can actually feel the blush through the top of your head."

Teru ran her hands over the arms wrapped around her. "I'm sorry."

"Hmm?" He asked absentmindedly as he drew in the scent of her hair.

She raised a hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long." She tipped her head back against his shoulder so that she could look up contritely at his face. "I know it's been frustrating and I'm sorry if I've ever made it more difficult for you.

"Oh, you have." He brought one hand up and slid it around her neck then used his thumb to keep her head tilted back against his shoulder. "Seeing you smile made me want you." He kissed her lips softly. "Hearing you talk." Another. "I'm one door down from you and I swear I could smell you whenever I stepped into the hallway. So having a boner several times a day did make it quite difficult." He took advantage of her gasp to slide his tongue over hers for a quick second before pulling back and giving her a chaste peck. "But don't worry, I got really good at hiding it."

Teru's eyes had closed at the first kiss, her hand clenched on the arm still around her waist. "Okay," she sighed.

"And as for waiting," Tasuku paused long enough for her to open her eyes. "I'd already waited for you my whole life." He kissed her again, slow and so sweet that a tear fell from her eye. "What was a little more?" He wiped the tear away and, after another brief kiss, adjusted things so Teru faced forward once more.

"Oops." He picked up the remote and rewound to the beginning of the show. Setting the remote back down, he slid one hand around her waist until he hit the opening of her robe, then slid it inside to curl skin to skin against her waist. "We don't want to miss anything, do we?" He said hotly in her ear.

Teru stared down at the arm that disappeared into her still-modest yukata and shook her head. She had a feeling she was going to miss quite of bit of this particular movie.

* * *

She'd been right, Teru thought to herself as she panted and dug her fingernails into the futon, she had no idea what was happening on the screen.

They'd watched the movie for about twenty minutes in comfortable silence before Tasuku whispered a single statement that made her hands shake with nerves and excitement.

"Tell me if you want me to stop."

At her nod of acquiescence, he started touching her, slowly. Still sitting behind her, he ran one hand patiently up and down her arm while the hand on her waist simply flexed, relishing her daintiness and the silk of her skin.

He'd had a whole plan. He was going to tease her, play with her, and generally keep the tone light while he talked her out of her yukata. Turned out he couldn't do it. Not with her in his lap and under his hands. Instead, he'd all but told her to brace herself as he gave in to his selfish, all-encompassing need to touch her.

Love, lust, and tenderness tangled messily in his head as he kissed her neck. "Look up." When she did he kissed her, the angle of their heads a perfect fit for the deep tangle of tongues that he craved. He paused when she jerked and gasped and realized that the hand on her waist had slid up and palmed her small breast. He waited for any indication that he was moving too fast, then smiled at her small, breathy moan. "You are so perfect, Princess."

Teru opened heavy-lidded eyes and found him smiling down at her. She sighed at the look in his eyes, then clenched her eyes shut again as he gently squeezed the flesh in his grasp. "What… what do I do?"

He kissed his way back to her neck, her head tilting to give him better access. "Enjoy. Or you can, you know," He bit the tendon that ran down to her shoulder, then licked the bite marks. "Keep watching the movie." He tugged down the collar of her robe and kissed and nibbled his way across the top of her shoulders to the other side of her neck. "I'll just amuse myself while you're busy."

Amusing himself, it turned out, included much more attention to her neck. He seemed interested in every line, every slight hollow. All of them deserved a thorough inspection with his lips, tongue, and sometimes his teeth (which got him more of those breathy cries). When his studies to him to the collar of her yukata he let go of her small breast (which he'd kept careful hold of through this time) and brought both hands up, tracing the line where fabric met skin before gripping the edge.

"Lean forward, Teru."

Despite being seriously afraid that her quivering muscles would just give out and plop her right on her face, Teru braced a hand on one of the legs that bracketed her and leaned forward. She closed her eyes as Tasuku pulled the fabric down, not stopping until it caught on her elbows and pooled at the small of her back.

Tasuku stared at the creamy perfection before him and ran a single finger down the concave line of her back to where it stopped at her waist. "You are so fucking beautiful."

Teru shuddered beneath his touch and his guttural compliment. She went to sit back up when a hot hand in between her shoulder blades halted her movement.

"Not yet," he told her as he fanned both of his large hands across her back, tracing bones and sweeping along curves. "Let me get acquainted."

Teru felt so embarrassed. Okay, technically, she thought hazily, he's kind of giving me a backrub. She bit back a cry but couldn't stop the shudder as his thumbs pressed into the dimples on either side of her spine. Backs weren't erogenous zones, were they?

"Oh, sweetheart," She jumped when she realized she'd all but moaned the question out loud. Tasuku ran his nails lightly down the middle of her back and felt her nails dig into his leg. "Anything and everything can be a hot button if you do it right."

His hands left her and she shivered again, but this time at the loss of heat. She heard a slide of fabric and then he was pulling her back to rest once more against his chest. She gasped at the feel of his hot bare skin against her naked back. She was also, she realized abruptly, acutely conscious of her now completely bare breasts,

He slid his hands down her arms, pushing her sleeves off so that just her belt kept the rest of her yukata in place. He tangled his fingers with hers then wrapped both of their arms around her in a multi-armed hug. He kissed the top of her head then leaned down so they were cheek to cheek. "Enjoying the movie so far?" he murmured silkily.

That made her laugh out loud despite her panting awareness and nerves. She turned her head and smiled cheekily at his smirking, beloved face. "Best. Movie. Ever." She fluttered her eyelashes at him and braced herself for retribution. "Why? Were you saying something?"

He narrowed his eyes at his soulmate. "I am not," he told her solemnly, "going to tickle you for that. But only," he kissed the eyebrow she raised in surprise. "because today that would only end with me inside you." He smiled at the way she went still, then nearly groaned at the look on her face where he could tell she was debating with herself. "Besides," he said quickly, "tickling isn't the only thing to do."

Teru yelped as Tasuku's hands let go of hers and moved with lightning speed up her torso to cover her breasts. "What are you doing!"

"Taking a penalty, you little instigator. Don't worry," he told her reasonably as she tried to decide between flapping her hands and slapping at his. "Five minutes of me pretending to be your bra, which is a very real fantasy by the way, and we'll be even."

He wouldn't budge. And he wasn't being amorous...exactly. He just didn't move. He watched the movie in apparent enjoyment for the next few minutes, occasionally humming to himself, and he never let go of her breasts.

Which was driving her _crazy_ and he knew it. She spent the first minute aflame in embarrassment. It was one thing for him to touch her in the heat of the moment, it was quite another for him to just sit there and hold her like they were holding hands. But her knew what he was doing she realized a few minutes later as she closed her eyes and tried not to let him hear her pant. Because the embarrassment had faded at the first inadvertent rasp of his palm against her nipple. Now she sat there, stiff and still as the heat of his unmoving hands sensitized her small breasts to points of agonizing awareness.

"Ah!" Her head fell back against his chest as one of her stiffened nipples poked between two of his fingers, exposing it to the cooler air and rasping against his grip as the nub tightened even further. Her legs moved restlessly on the futon, pressing her back against his chest as his slow, diabolical torture finally got to her. She reached one hand back and yanked on his hair. "Go bald, Daisy! Go bald right now. Right now, right now, right no… oh shit!"

"Listen to you," Tasuku said against her temple, his own breath quick as he deliberately pinched her nipple between his fingers as the five excruciating minutes ended. "Such language from a Princess." The hand in his hair had stopped pulling and now just held on while the other latched onto a wrist as he began to squeeze, circle, and flick his way around her breasts.

He watched all of his handiwork from over her shoulder, reveling in each gasp and cry. He learned that either a light, feathery touch or a very firm, gripping one make her back bow, while a moderate one just made her groan in frustration. And she liked it when he talked. He could tell by the way she pressed back against him or trembled as he whispered things into her ear. He told her how she felt under his hands and how the sounds she made were the best music in the world. But mostly, over and over again, he told her that he loved her.

She was going to pass out, she knew she was. She opened her eyes as he took one hand of her breast and watched as he raised it to his mouth and licked his thumb, then rubbed his fingers together to moisten the tips. The next moment she nearly jerked out of his arms as he went back to her breast and did some sort of twisting, pulling thing on her nipple that had black edging into field of vision.

Her gasping cries degenerated into one long, whimpering groan. In desperation for some sort of anchor she tilted her head back and used the hand in his hair to drag his mouth to hers.

He was more than happy to comply. One hand came up and gripped her chin, holding her in place while tried to devour her whole in quick, greedy bites. His hand slid to her throat then down once more to her breast where he dragged his nails over the small globe. He swallowed her sharp cry and slid further down, the perspiration on her skin making it a slick glide. He stopped at the belt, then lifted his hand reached down for her leg, lifting it over his leg, leaving her splayed, but still covered by her robe.

Teru broke their kiss with a gasp and stared up Tasuku. She saw the question in his eyes as she felt him pet her leg, sliding his hand over the fabric to her knee where he paused. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, then nodded. She hid her face against her neck as pulled the fabric across her skin in a slow glide until her thigh was revealed, pale and slender against the backdrop of fabric. The yukata was still belted, affording that vestige of modesty, but even that was soon gone as Tasuku kissed her once again, distracting her as he smoothly undid the belt and let gravity do the rest.

He wanted to stare. He wanted to lie her down and bask in the reality of a naked Teru. Instead, feeling her tremble against him as nerves edged their way into the mix once again, he kept kissing her, letting loose the reigns that he'd held tight for the past year. He waited until she went pliant once again, until she was kissing him back with equal fervor, then he started exploring.

First he went back to her breasts, petting her with both hands until little beads of sweat once again gathered on her skin. Next, he kept on hand where it was while the other slid down her stomach, stopping briefly to swirl around her navel, before sliding over her hip. They both shuddered as his fingers brushed the tight curls, but he kept going until he could wrap his hand around the inside of her thigh. There he simply smoothed his rough palm over her smooth skin from her knee and up her thigh, where paused just before reaching the juncture, before smoothing back down to her knee.

Over and over and over he did this until Teru pulled away from the kiss with an inarticulate growl to bite him on the jaw. Hard.

"Tasuku."

The passion imbued in that one, groaned word made him her slave thrice over. He looked her into heavy-lidded eyes. "Hold onto me."

She nodded and trembling slightly, slid her hand from his hair to wrap it around his bicep, then buried her face once again against his neck.

Tasuku took a deep breath, trying to regain the oxygen he'd lost at her bite, and looked down at Teru.

Oh, fuck.

"Oh, fuck," he repeated out loud at the glory set before him. His grip at her breast and her thigh tightened for a moment and made her whimper at his throat. "Sorry," he whispered, then shook his head. "No. I'm not sorry. Look at you."

He wrapped his hand around her thigh, marveling at the fact that his fingers nearly met around the dainty circumference. And above that…

He slid his palm up her leg, feeling it tremble against his, and stopped to drag one finger lightly over the crease where hip met thigh. He would have grinned in triumph at the shivering groan Teru panted against his neck, but he was too busy luxuriating in the view and the feel of her under his fingers. He dragged his fingertips along the bottom of her stomach where he repeated the action on the other hip before sliding back to lay a hot and heavy hand over her stomach, his fingers just brushing the top of her mound.

"Did you ever think about this, Teru?" He whispered to her as he rubbed a bristly chin against her temple. "Did you think about the first time I'd touch you?" He slid his hand down incrementally and rubbed lightly against the curls just under his fingertips. He gritted his teeth at the nails she dug into his arm. "I have," he assured her in gravelly tones. "Your curls are tighter than in my imagination." He pulled one up and watched it spring back. "See."

Teru flung her head back against his shoulder and fought not to bow up to his light touch as he feathered his fingers across to top of her curls. "Tasuku! Please! Do something!"

"Like this?"

This time her back did bow as he covered her completely, a small scream escaping as pleasure exploding through her system as he pressed down with the heel of his hand on the top of her mound. He held completely still, except for nuzzling kisses and hot murmurs against her throat as the orgasm swept through her, holding her close as her body clenched and shook in his grip. He waiting until her cries smoothed out into whimpers and the rippling shudders to trembles.

But he didn't wait too long.

While the tears still seeped from her eyes he started petting her, his long, nimble fingers brushing over her, the slick wetness that spilled out along with her orgasm easing his way as he teased the lips apart to glide over and over her folds. He slid his hand from her breast to her rib cage to hold her better as she jerked in his arms, the tension racketing up fast once more as he played with her.

"Girls are so special," he told her, panting as the proof of her desire coated his fingers. "You have these small, unseen clues that tell us that you're hot." He rubbed a finger around the tiny, spasming hole that continued to seep at his touch and his words. "And you can come over and over if you do it right. I want to see that, Teru. I've dreamed of that. Can you do that for me?"

Teru could barely hear him. Her world had reduced to the glowing heat between her legs. The first orgasm only moments ago had built steadily under his hands and his words until that final, last touch. This one though, and she could feel it coming as everything in her tingled in anticipation, had gone straight to flashpoint as he focused all his attention between her legs. She groaned his name as he dragged finger through her folds to circle the small nub hidden at the top. He did it over and over until she was all but sobbing with the need for release.

"Wait. Wait." Tasuku groaned and shook the sweat from his eyes. He moved his other hand down and lifted her other leg so that both legs draped over his. He let his head fall back for a moment with a gasp as her full weight settled against cock, though still separated by their combined robes, then slid both hands back down her thighs towards lush perfection. He slid a finger through her folds once more and stopped right under clit. The other, he circled his middle finger around her heated entrance before he began to push in.

They both groaned as slid into the first knuckle and stopped, relishing the slickness and the throbbing tightness on that single digit.

"Tasuku!"

"Shh, it's okay," he soothed, kissing her upturned face as she gasped and whimpered at the small intrusion. He tried to ignore the small motions of her hips as she reacted to his touch. "You were made for this." He pulled out and then pushed in a little deeper. "For me."

He made small, slow, swirling forays until he reached her hymen. He buried his face against her neck and shook at gift she was offering. He took a calming breath and pulled out to return with two finger. "Let me know if it hurts," he whispered into her hair.

Teru couldn't stop gasping as two of Tasuku's seemingly giant fingers pressed against her. At first it didn't seem like they'd fit, but they did, her muscles stretching to accommodate the invaders, another rush of liquid seeping out to aid their way.

And there he stopped. She lifted her hips in frustration. "Wha...what are you doing?"

His answering smile made her clench around his fingers. He waited until she finished shivering at the sensation, then answered, "This."

The hand at the top of her mound had done nothing as he'd explored her by increments. But now, as his two fingers began to move in and out in a shallow rhythm, his other fingers rubbed around and around her clit. She cried out, unable to stop the inarticulate sounds bubbling out from her throat as unimagined pleasure tightened her body seemingly to the point of breaking. Lights flashed behind her eyes, blinding her to everything but the sensations Tasuku wrought with his hands. Her thighs wanted to clench together, whether to trap the feeling or stop his ministrations, she didn't know, but she couldn't with them spread on either side of his. She could only hold on and beg for mercy as her legs began to shake. It was the most amazing and terrifying thing she'd ever felt. It felt like she was dying.

"That's it, Princess." Tasuku held his fingers still, pressing hard against her clit as she exploded in his arms. He shuddered at the way her sheath frantically clasped and unclasped his fingers, spilling more of her silky fluid as her orgasm went on and on. He pulled out as she came down from the high, hugging her close as she went completely limp against him.

"Fucking beautiful."

Teru came back to her senses at the words as Tasuku hugged her tight. Too sated, sleepy, amazed, and in love to feel embarrassed, she raised a hand to his cheek. "Tasuku," she sighed, then frowned at the way he clenched his jaw at her touch. "Are you okay?" She bit her lip in sudden nervousness. "Was I okay? Is something wrong?"

"Just hold still a minute," he told her with a groan, holding her even tighter as a means of stopping her from rubbing against his throbbing dick. "Everything's fine."

Teru held still as asked and that's when she felt it, iron-hard and hot beneath her butt. She trembled for a second, then pushed his arms off of her.

"Hey! Are you okay?" He watched in worried bewilderment as she awkwardly untangled their limbs and slid off of his lap and turned around between his legs to kneel before him. Naked. "Did I …," His next question slid back down his throat as she shyly reached for his belt with hands that still shook from her release. "Don't," he rasped. "I'm on a hair trigger here. We can't..."

He petered off as she peeked at him from under her lashes before dropping them once more to her task. "I… will you show me what to do?" The residual glow of her skin burned red once more as his robe slid away to reveal him in all his terrifying splendor. She wrung her hands together while she bit her lip and stared. "Because I have no idea what to do."

So nervous, he thought with lusty, aching tenderness, yet so eager to please. He took a deep breath. He wasn't going to last long, but there was one ever-present picture in his head that he wanted to turn into reality. "Come here," he stretched out his legs and patted his thighs. "Sit right here.

Without taking her fascinated eyes off of his erection she straddled his legs. He closed his eyes for a moment at the wetness that was still on her thighs, then opened them again and crooked his finger. "Closer." He waited until she was she was a few inches from the object of her attention and then he brought his knees up, making her slide into his lap flush against cock.

His hands grasped her hips as he breathed through the sensation of her against him. Still flush and wet, he nestled against her folds and stood up strong to rest against her stomach. She had hidden her face against his chest as soon as he'd settled, grasping his arms in an effort to steady herself. He could feel her trembling, so he slid his hands up and down her sides in an effort to sooth her. "I'll show you what to do," his voice rumbled under her cheek as he spoke. "Sit back."

She swallowed her nerves and leaned back, gasping as her sensitive flesh slid even closer to his. He stared into her eyes and the look there made her want to give him anything he ever needed.

"Give me your hand."

She did so and shuddered along with him as he slowly brought it down between them, his hand covering hers as he wrapped it around him. They both jerked at the contact. "Teru," he groaned, "meet little Tasuku."

Of course he'd make her laugh at a moment like this. She giggled even as she trembled with nerves. "This is not 'little'." She lost her voice as he brought her other hand down and wrapped it below the other.

Tasuku rested his forehead against hers and panted at the feel of her perfect, silken, tiny hands on his dick. "No, no it's not," he agreed with a panting laugh. "And when you talk with your friends, because God knows that's going to happen, just remember that."

They just sat there for a moment, Teru regaining her composure while Tasuku fought not to spill over her hands that very second. But her 'what do I do?' shot his control to hell. "Do this." With his hands over hers he squeezed the hand at the base of the shaft while he showed her how to slide the second hand up from the shaft and over the bulbous head, then back down with a twisting glide.

After a few movements Tasuku let go of her hands with a guttural groan and buried his hands in her hair, using his grip to pull her forward into a kiss so he could mimic the movements of her hands with his tongue.

He overwhelmed her. Even more than when he'd touched her, she felt swamped in him like never before. The intimidating flesh in her hands throbbed with heat, the slick fluid at the tip making her able to move faster and grip tighter. And he responded to every single nuance of touch, not only from her hands, which made him gasp and groan, but from her own kiss. She relished the shudder he gave when she sucked on his tongue.

She cried out herself when his grip tightened on her hair to the point just below pain. He pulled out of the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers as he groaned out loud. His other hand reached down and covered hers once more, holding it in a tight grip just under the head as he came and came in milky ribbons over their joined hands. Teru watched in rapt attention, shivering as Tasuku whispered her name over and over. They sat there for a moment as their breathing leveled out. Tasuku lifted his hands and rumbled in pleasure as Teru slid her hands over him with one more silky guide before letting him go.

"Oh, wow."

Of course, that got her another kiss, this one slow and soothing, which none the less made her hold onto him with both hands.

She started to sink into him once more and then she felt her sticky hand peel from his skin as she adjusted her grip. "Oh, crap!" She sat straight up and held her hand out to the side. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to… I don't know how to…' She looked around for something to wipe her hand off.

"Hey, Teru." She shook her head as he gently flicked her forehead. "Guess what?"

She rubbed her forehead and rolled her eyes at his pedantic tone. "What?"

"Sex is...," he raised the hand that had been inside her and drew in a deep breath, grinning when it made her blush and stutter. "Messy. Wonderfully," he drew her hand back to him and laid it on his chest. "Gloriously, messy." He nuzzled her neck until she relaxed once more in his hold. "If we're not sticky and smelling like sex after something like this," he told her with a pinch to her rear. "we're doing it wrong, understand?"

"Understood," she said with a sigh, or at least, she thought with a squirm, she'd get used to it. Eventually. "I still need a shower, though."

"Me, too." He waited until she raised her head, then he wiggled his eyebrows and made her giggle. "Let's take one together." He started to get up, but set right back down as his muscles did nothing but tremble. "Once I can feel my legs again, let's take a shower. Don't worry," he crooned as she fell giggling to rest on his chest. "I'm spent for a couple of hours, but like hell I'm going to miss showering with you. In fact," he mused, "I don't see why either us should shower alone ever again." He tickled her sides as she giggled once more against his chest. "Hey, think of all the water we'd be saving!"

Teru pressed her cheek against his chest and fought not to cry with pure happiness. "Then we're going to need a bigger shower."

* * *

**Hi Folks! Thanks to all of you very patient people while I struggle to convey this change in their dynamics. I love all the encouragement and the feedback I've gotten so far. Please keep it up and write a review if you have the time. Thank you and goodnight. More to come!**


	40. Chapter 40

The shower was a lesson in self-control and hilarity. Tasuku deemed that they had to take turns washing each other in order to… get to know each other better. Teru learned quickly that that meant Tasuku on his knees with his face an inch from her skin as he 'got to know' every freckle and mark that had heretofore been blocked from his gaze. And he wasn't amorous, exactly. He'd just recite every new find as though committing it to memory and then move on, ignoring her embarrassed squeaks and squirming.

He had to pry her out of the shower corner twice when he got a little too adventurous with the loofa, but made her scream with terrified laughter and threats of baldness when he switched all the water to cold when she wouldn't stop closing her eyes.

The cold water was very much for him, though.

He wanted her to laugh and see the fun side of intimacy and that everything they did didn't have to end in sex… or an orgasm. He wanted her to get used to being naked with him. And he'd thought he was spent; that he could play for a while with a naked, wet Teru in the shower without pinning her against the tile like a marauding conqueror.

Well, he was wrong.

He hadn't kissed her while they were in here. Kissing her always drove him crazy anyway, so Teru + naked + wet + kissing was a bad combination if he didn't want to deflower her against the shower wall.

But she was so goddamn adorable and unwittingly sexy. Turned out her blush showed up _everywhere_. She grabbed onto his shoulders whenever he found some new ticklish or erogenous spot and drove him insane with that small touch. When he was on his knees he was the perfect height to devour her. Her perfect, tiny, amazing, perfect breasts were right there. Her kissable mouth was one chin-tip away. And everything. _Everything _was within easy reach of his hands.

But not yet. Not here, was his mantra as he smoothed the sponge over her perfect, perfect, perfect body. See. He could be a civilized for her. He had self-control if it was for her. Right?

Teru peeked one eye open (she couldn't help but squeeze her eyes shut at some point, despite the threat of cold water) and peered down at the top of Tasuku's head when he went still, the loofah falling away from her calf. She ran a trembling hand over his sodden blonde hair and gave a small tug. "Is… is it my turn?"

He ran a fingertip over the top of her foot, tracing slowly out over each toe. He smiled to himself at her giggles, even as he gritted his teeth over the feel of her hands in his hair. "Hmm?"

She wanted to dance away from the ticklish touch but he had her backed against the shower wall, so she pulled a little harder on his hair in retaliation. With her hands playing with the strands she missed the way his entire body went taut before consciously relaxing once more. "I'm all clean now so it's my turn to wash you, right?"

He wrapped a hand around her ankle and closed his eyes, fireworks going off behind his lids at the thought of her small hands running over his body. "Not yet," he answered raspily. Maybe distraction would work. "I haven't washed your hobbit feet, yet."

An outraged gasp met his pronouncement and she stamped said foot. "I do not have hobbit feet!"

"I don't know," he shrugged, careful to concentrate on her dainty, non-hobbit-like feet in case the sight of her wet body tossed all of his good intentions and patience out the door. "I didn't even know girls could have hair on their toes. Owww." Turns out getting slapped on the shoulder hurt a lot more when your skin was wet.

"You are so mean!" She shoved at his shoulders and tried to dart past him only to find herself wrapped in his arms, his height on his knees perfect for burying his face against her neck. "Kurosaki!" she squeaked, reverting at his sudden move and the feel of him pressed against her bare front. She went perfectly still as his mouth opened against her shoulder, his hot breath making her shiver and wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, pressing his lips against the delicate slope. "I needed a quick distraction and your pretty little hobbit feet seemed to do the job." He accepted the quavering 'go bald' and rubbed small circles against her back in silent apology. "Anyway," he continued simply, "you can't have your turn."

Her stuttering protest died away as he traced her collarbone with his tongue.

"So it turns out," he ran his hands down her back, then ever so slowly over her lower curves, making her jump under his hands. He tipped his head back and smiled ruefully at her cherry red face. "that I don't have as much control as I thought. So next time, okay?"

Well, crap. She had really, really been looking forward to her turn. She couldn't stop the pout, but she understood him, could feel the tension in the arms wrapped around her. So she sighed, long and loud so that he had no doubt as to her opinion, and pushed the wet hair off his face before framing it in her hands. She gave him a quick kiss then pushed at his shoulders with a sniff. "Fine." She tried not to stare as he stood up, but quickly gave that up and instead crossed her arms so she wouldn't touch. "Me and my hobbit feet are going to get us a snack and get dressed. Have a nice shower."

His smile was slow and wicked as she walked backward out of the shower and just stood there watching him with her hands tucked under her armpits. He loved it when she forgot she was naked. He loved the look in her eyes even more. "The towels are behind you, Princess."

Her eyes jerked up to his and she wanted to either hide under the futon or push him back into the shower. She settled for grabbing a towel and bolting from the steam-filled room.

Tasuku waited until the door clicked behind her and then reached for the temperature controls. He took a deep breath and looked down at his unruly and once again enthusiastic sex. "Last cold shower, buddy. I promise." And turned the knob.

"What? No snacks?"

Teru wondered at herself that she could be both relieved and disappointed that he didn't attack her upon coming out of the bathroom. Then she blushed even as she snickered, conscious of how she must look, her towel-clad figure sticking half in and half out of the closet. "Those were for me and my hairy feet, remember?"

"I like your hairy feet," he said simply. "Plus I've got waaaay more hair there than you, therefore I win." She could hear him raiding the mini fridge as she continued to rummage. "So what are you looking for, loser?"

"My suitcase." She lifted up the comforters that had been folded away and scowled. "It was in the bathroom when we left this morning, but now I can't find it."

"Mmm hmm," was his helpful answer.

She sat back on her heels as his own towel-clad figure came back in, chewing on an onigiri that had been stocked in the fridge. Wait, were his lips blue? She watched as he wordlessly knelt in front of one of the two oxbow chests and knocked on the face.

When she just looked confused and slightly alarmed at his abuse of the furniture he rolled his eyes at the penniless and inexperienced traveler and pulled out one of the drawers. "They put our stuff away while we were gone, see?"

Teru just sat there with an alarmed and embarrassed look on her face as he opened another drawer looking for some shorts. "They… they go through our stuff?"

"Mm hm," he said around another mouthful. "To put it away, they do. It's standard practice after a certain level of hotels." He clued in to her tone and raised an eyebrow at her as he sloooowly opened another drawer. "Why? What was in your luggage?"

"Nothing!" was her too quick answer, which was quickly followed by a sigh of relief as the drawer revealed Tasuku's pants and some shirts. But the sigh caught in her throat as he pulled a box of condoms from between the two piles. She felt her mouth go dry even as she heard herself say, "You don't need those."

He stared at her for a moment then winced at the smack her hands made when they slapped over mouth. "Okay, either that means we're not going to have sex, or it means something else." He watched her hands slide up to cover her eyes. "I'm going to bet on 'something else', just so I don't go insane. Which is it?"

Oh God, let it be something else.

"Um, um," she dropped her hands and took a deep breath. She could do this! She was a grown-up! If he could be so nonchalant, so could she! "Um, I'm on birth control." She straightened her shoulders when he just continued to stare at her. "I've been on it for about seven months. Riko said something like, 'if we leave it up to Tasuku I'll be an aunt in under a year'... or something like that." She lost her nerve as he continued to stare, box in hand, so she covered her eyes once more with her hands. "So anyway you don't need…"

"We don't need."

Teru peeked through her fingers and saw Tasuku deliberately place the box back in the drawer. "Huh?"

"You said 'you', but condoms are a 'we' kind of thing," he clarified with a nonchalance he 100% didn't feel. He took a very deliberate bite and finished off the onigiri, mainly so he didn't tackle her and give her a tatami burn she'd never forget. Women had absolutely no clue what 'no condom' meant to a guy. He'd never _not _used a condom and to be with Teru skin to skin… "Anyway," he said a little too loudly as he pulled open another drawer and kept his eyes off of his dream woman. "Let's just hope they put our stuff away in a semblance of ord…"

Teru watched as he froze in the act of pulling out a pair of his boxer briefs. "What's the matter?"

He didn't answer, but instead put down his drawers and put his hands together in prayer.

"What are you doing?" She started to crawl over to him, but stopped when her towel threatened to go south. "Is their folding that bad?"

"Shh," he whispered. "I'm thanking the god of underwear."

"Huh?"

He opened his eyes and reached into the drawer. He came out with a silky, lace-trimmed baby blue negligee hanging from one hand and the miniscule matching panties in the other. "Thank you, god of underwear, for your gifts to all mankind," he intoned with an appreciative sigh. "but more specifically, to me."

Maybe, she thought through the buzzing in her ears, she could hide under the comforters in the closet until it was time to leave. "There is no such thing as a god of underwear."

"Please," he snorted. "In Shintoism with millions of boys and men praying specifically about it, you think there's not a god to women's underwear?" He reverently folded the pieces and placed them back in the drawer, then pulled out another filmy piece of confection, this one in pink. He dangled it from his fingertips where the light turned it translucent. "I'll find a shrine on the way home so we can leave an offering."

He grinned over at Teru, who was trying to drown herself in a glass of water. "So these were in the bag that made you stutter and blush at your birthday party, huh? I thought, hoped," he corrected himself, "that it was something like this when you refused to show everybody what was inside."

She nodded and blushed as he rubbed the sheer fabric between his fingertips. "Uh, do you mind if I grab something to wear real quick."

He looked her in the eye as he carefully put the piece back. "Is there any place else you want to go today?"

His serious tone made her hand clench on the towel that was still around wrapped around her. She took in his own towel-draped figure and sighed. God, he was beautiful. "No," she said softly.

He turned to face her and sat agura-style, legs crossed and hands on his knees while the towel over his lap shifted to just maintain his modesty. "Any bath you wanted to try out or walk in the woods you wanted to take?"

Teru mimicked his traditional stance and settled seiza-style on her knees. She folded her hands together on her lap and took a deep breath. "No."

He tapped a finger on his knee as they stared at each other. "I have two questions for you, Teru," he said after several seconds.

She nodded at his sensei-like tone and braced herself.

"First," he bent down one finger. "May I pick something for you to wear?"

She colored at the thought of wearing one of those candy-colored scraps, but she'd do it for him. She nodded.

"And second," Tasuku suddenly yawned and stretched his arms out wide.

Teru felt her mouth go dry as every muscle was suddenly, gloriously outlined in stark relief.

"Second," he began again. "Do you want to take a nap?"

She was still staring at his chest so it took a moment for his words to process. "Huh? What?"

"A nap," he said innocently. He grabbed the shorts he'd pulled out before and stood up to put them on, purposefully not looking at Teru as his towel dropped and he stepped into them. He snapped the band and reached in the drawer once again. "After the walking this morning and the baths," he slid his eyes slyly to hers where she sat blushing and perplexed. "And the orgasms," And look at that. She could get even pinker. "I'm a little tired. How about you?"

She opened her mouth to answer but sputtered as her sleep shorts hit her in the face followed by a tank top and... She slowly reached on top of her head and pulled off a pair of the new, frilly panties that had come with one of the negligees.

Tasuku shrugged in answer to the question in her eyes. "My first thought was to take a nap naked, but let's face it," he walked over to where she was still kneeling on the floor and tipped her chin up for a slow kiss, "that would most likely result in me taking you when we're both half asleep. Same thing if you wear nothing but the sexy-time stuff." He closed his hand over hers, the one that held the negligible excuse for underwear, and gave it a squeeze. "This way we can get some rest but I'll still know what's waiting for me under those shorts."

Teru couldn't quite catch her breath as he let her go and walked back to the mini fridge. She thanked him as he set a plated onigiri by her side. She _was _tired, but his words and the pictures he put in her head made her extremely… itchy. "Do you really want to take a nap?" She asked shyly.

Tasuku ignored her question as he grabbed a comforter and some pillows of the closet and laid down on the futons with his arms behind his head. He pretended to flip through the channels of the TV they'd forgotten to turn off and watched as she performed the feminine magic of getting-dressed-while-in-a-towel-and-managing-not-to-show-anything. He wanted to remind her of their very recent and very naked shower experience, but he wanted her calm and besides, that was a good way to get smacked in the face by a towel.

"Come on," he patted the spot beside him as she tossed the towel away. "Come and cuddle with Daisy-san."

She smiled at him as she sat down and slid under the covers beside him. "Are we watching another movie, Daisy-san?"

He heard the catch in her voice and knew she was thinking of the movie they'd 'watched' less than an hour before. "Nope. I need a nap." And so do you. He picked up the remote and pressed a button. Teru gasped as the window shutters closed, darkening the room as they had no lamps turned on. He hit another button and the TV went to mute with closed captions. He reached a long arm back and grabbed the shoji screen that separated the two rooms and slid it shut, creating a cocoon of flickering light and cozy solitude. "This okay?"

"Mmmm." He smiled at her happy sigh. Of course he knew her knockout formula. There was still one thing, though. "C'mere, Teru."

She blinked heavy eyes at him and smiled as he pulled her close. And he kept pulling until she was draped over him; her head on his chest, arm around his waist, and one slim leg curled around his. She snuggled against his shirtless chest, further lulled by the steady beat under her cheek. She pressed a kiss against his skin and smiled as his arm held her close to his side. He yawned long and loud and she naturally followed suit. "Okay, a nap was a good idea."

His 'I know' made her snicker, which petered once more into a yawn. "What do you want to do when we get up?" She asked innocently in her hazy state.

"Dinner should be here by then," he murmured as he rubbed her back, feeling her relax under his hand. "And then I thought I'd make love to you since we'll be all rested up, so prepare yourself." He kissed the top of her head. "Before or after dinner, your choice."

"M'kay," was her sleepy response against his skin. "Before is fine, thank you."

He closed his eyes and took very deliberate breaths as she went boneless against him, falling asleep from one instant to the next as she was wont to do. "Sleep tight, Princess," he whispered as he turned off the TV and pulled the covers up and over her shoulders. "You're going to need it."

**Next... sexy time.**


	41. Chapter 41

Teru's eyes fluttered open then slowly blinked at the small amount of light that filtered through the window shades.

She started to stretch, then froze as she realized she was lying full-out on top of Tasuku with her head on his chest and her legs lying on either side of his hips.

She held her breath until she realized he was still completely out, his chest moving steadily up and down despite her weight. Realizing that, she relaxed again with silent sigh, stopping herself just in time before she nuzzled her face against his chest in an effort to drink him in. She sleepily thought about the past two days and how their dynamic had changed… and then turned her face into his chest as she blushed.

She'd loved every breathtaking, amazing, and embarrassing moment so far. She'd loved him for years, but she'd never have guessed that this layer, this added intimacy, could add anything to what she already felt.

But it did.

She could literally feel his love for her whenever he touched her. She could taste it in his kiss and hear it in his voice. She laid a hand carefully on his chest beside her cheek. Was it the same for him? Or was she so gauche and nervous that she did nothing but take without returning his feelings in the same way?

She recalled what the innkeeper had told her in the baths. "Men don't have as many words as women," she'd been told. "So they try to say it with their bodies instead. Whether it's chopping wood or making your toes curl, there's usually a word or two in there that they can't or won't say out loud." She'd nudged Teru at that point and wiggled her eyebrows. "Same goes for you, missy. If he isn't listening to you with his ears, well, try another way where he can listen with a few other body parts." She'd cackled and slapped her hand in the water, scattering little beads across her wrinkled face as well as Teru's smooth pink one. "Be damned if I've figured out the one for 'take out the trash', though!"

She'd sobered fast and pointed a finger at Teru, who was wiping the mineral water out of her eyes. "And one other thing; don't let him do everything." She tsked at Teru's blank look. "I bet he starts everything you've ever done, am I right? Well I made that mistake my wedding night." She shook her head. "It took me a few months to start making the first move, and let me tell you," another arm nudge. "Nothing helps a guy along like knowing he's wanted."

But Tasuku knew, right? She ran her palm along his shoulder and down the arm that he had flung out to the side. Did he know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her? He kept stopping, so maybe he was thought she was too scared, or that she had to be talked into it? Her face heated even more as she suddenly recalled his 'before or after dinner' question. Okay, so maybe he wasn't stalling. Maybe he was just that patient and understanding and wonderful.

She wasn't so patient, though. And it _was_ before dinner.

With a quick peek to see that he was still asleep, she pressed a kiss to his chest. Then she did it again, over and over as she slowly worked her way up. When she got as far as she could reach she pushed herself up on all fours and continued her soft attack up his neck. At that point she got a reaction (though he didn't wake up) as he wrapped a hand around her thigh where it bracketed his side and groaned. Smiling at the sound, and shivering at her daring, she shifted up and trailed her kisses up to his ear.

"Tasuku," she whispered, her breath a warm puff against his skin.

He shivered and put his other arm around her waist, but he didn't wake up.

She kissed her way back down his neck, his throat arching in unconscious welcome. She wanted to bite him, but she wasn't brave enough yet, so she scraped her teeth over him lightly instead. Her breath caught at the rumble of sound that came from his chest. She went back to his ear and pressed a kiss to his earlobe, eliciting a full-body shiver from his long and lanky frame. "Daisy."

His 'hmmm' made her smile a she braced her hands on either side of his head, her long hair, still wet at the tips, falling down to create an intimate curtain. "Kurosaki Daisy Tasuku," she whispered again before kissing her way along his jaw to his lips. "Aren't you going to wake up?"

But if he woke up, he thought with a groan, wouldn't the dream end?

Because hadn't he dreamed this countless times; Teru a sweet weight against him, kissing him awake while she murmured his name. He ran his hand up her back until he could cup the back of her head. "I love this dream," he sighed.

"It's not a dream."

The soft murmur against his lips had his eyes snapping open just as she slanted her mouth over his, her tongue gently seeking his with indescribably feminine sweetness.

And passion.

Oh, he was awake now. Fuck dreams, he thought happily as his eyes shut once more and he fisted a hand in her hair, using his grip to tilt her head just so in order to better suck her tongue into his mouth. The real Teru was better than any dream he could conjure.

Teru's arms gave out and she dropped to her elbows as Tasuku kept kissing her. Seriously, that's all they were doing. But he was voracious, kissing her deeply, over and over only to stop suddenly and sip first from her bottom lip, then her top. Then he'd do it again, fisting his hand in her hair to keep her still as stroked his tongue over hers again and again until she was a breathless, boneless pile on top of his chest.

She felt him start to roll over and she wrenched her mouth away with a gasp and grabbed onto his shoulders. "Wait!"

"Why? Are you gonna pass out? That's okay. We'll just wait until you wake up and keep going." He bit her jaw and groaned as her nails bit into his skin. "I promise not to molest you when you're unconscious." He kissed her again, sucking her under for another delirious moment, then broke apart to grin at her with that bad boy smile. "Fair warning though; sleeping doesn't count as 'unconscious'."

She wanted to laugh, but she couldn't catch her breath. "I'm not going to pass out." Yet. She pushed herself back up on her hands and looked down at Tasuku. God, he was gorgeous. His eyelids were heavy as he smiled up at her and his lips were red and slick from kissing. And the rest of him… She sat back until she was sitting on his stomach. "I just want to... touch you for a minute." She bit her lip and looked nervously at him from under her lashes as she bounced the tips of her index fingers together "Is that okay?"

His Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to find his voice. When it was nowhere to be found he just nodded and tucked his hands behind his head.

Teru breath caught at the way his muscles rippled and bunched when he did that. One of the things she had missed most about living with him was the spectacular view. At least once a week he'd have his shirt off for one reason or another and she'd peek around her book, magazine, or tea cup and ogle away. He'd caught her at it once or twice, and in his charming, clueless way he'd just invited her to take it all in. The smug bastard.

Well now, she thought giddily as she spread her hands on his chest, she _was _going to take it all in. Because every inch of him was hers. She swept her hands over his pecs to his shoulders, over his biceps then back down until she could fan her hands over his ribs. She thought it made a lovely, inspired mantra: mine, mine, mine.

"All yours. It's always been yours."

She colored as she realized she'd said it out loud. She poked him in his truly astounding abs, then traced the lines of his 'pack'. "Lolicon."

"Nuh uh." He wrapped one hand around the other wrist and held tight as she bent her head and kissed the hollow at his throat. "You're eighteen and not in high school anymore. That means no one gets to call me a lolicon anymore."

Was his skin getting hotter? His breathing was certainly getting faster. Hers was too, especially when she moved down his chest. She ran her fingers over his nipple and was startled when he jerked. Except... she peeked up at his face and remembered how she'd felt last night in the pool. She'd certainly never thought of her nipples as anything special… until he'd touched them.

So she did it again. With her nails.

"Teru," he said through gritted teeth.

Ah. There it was. That note of heat and desire when he said her name. She didn't know if he was saying it in warning and she didn't want to ask, so before she lost the courage she lowered her head and kissed it.

She felt his shiver throughout his entire torso. "Is that okay?"

She was so innocent and shy and loving. And curious. God help him. "I don't know, yet," he told her breathlessly. "You may have to try it a few more times for me to be sure."

That got him another poke in the ribs, but she was smiling when she bent her head once again and kissed his sternum.

"Hey, you missed."

"Hush." She kissed her way to the other side and repeated the caress, then, remembering what had felt so good on her, she opened her mouth over his nipple and tasted him with a quick flick of her tongue.

His 'oh, shit!' was all the warning she got before Tasuku's hand bunched in her hair and jerked her head up. His other hand grabbed her arm and hauled her up his chest until they were face to face. She thought he whispered something like 'weak spot', but she had no time to consider the statement before he took her mouth in a deep, biting tangle of tongues. She tried to keep up, but the hand in her hair tightened, keeping her angled just how he wanted her, so she gave up, going limp against him with a whimper.

Everything she did make him feel like the fucking invincible emperor of the world. He'd worried for a fleeting second that his grabbing hands would scare her, that he was moving too fast. And then she'd kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck before melting into him. She completely owned him, with her lips, the soft sounds she made as his free hand traced her spine under her shirt, and the impatient little movements she made as she lay pressed against him.

Teru broke their kiss with a gasp and pressed her forehead against his cheek. "Tasuku?"

He pulled her head to the side and kissed her neck, right over the throb of her pulse. "Yeah?"

"When am…," Her hands spasmed on his shoulders when he started to suck. She shuddered out a breath and arched her neck as he moved to another spot. "When am I supposed to take my clothes off?"

He went completely still. He even stopped breathing. She knew because his mouth was still against her skin. "Tasuku?"

He took a careful breath and let go of her hair, then he cleared his throat and smoothed both hands down her back. "When you want to."

"Oh." Her eyes drifted shut once more as he continued to kiss his way down her neck. "Am I supposed to do it, or are you?"

"You are killing me, Princess," he groaned softly.

"Huh?"

He sat back against the pillow and framed her face in his hands. "There aren't any 'supposed to's'. It's just what you want. What we want. Got it?"

She nodded her head shyly, then bit her lip nervously. "I just don't know how this goes. I think I'm still too embarrassed to just take my top off."

"What, you?" he asked dramatically. His hands were still bracketing her face, so he just squished her cheeks together until her lips naturally puckered then gave her a smacking kiss. "The girl who lifted her shirt and flashed me her belly button so brazenly through the years?"

She smacked his chest with a giggle, then went still as his face took on that quiet, hungry look once more.

"Sit up, Teru," he told her quietly. She nodded, her heart in her throat, and sat back on his stomach once more. He took one hand in each of his and kissed the palms. "If you can't say it, and you can't do it, I'll do it for you."

His stare was different. More...intense. It had her legs tightened on his torso. "H… how?"

"Just put my hands where you want them. For example, if you want your top off, just put my hands at the bottom of your top." He laced their fingers together and squeezed. "I'll get the message."

She squeezed her fingers around his and tried not to feel young and inexperienced. "You don't mind?"

"Hell no." Then he grinned at in such a way that made her fingers clench around his once more. "I plan on giving you a lot of instructions in moments like this, too. In fact, if I wasn't shirtless I would have had you take it off of me by now."

Breathless, Teru nodded and with her eyes on his, brought their hands to the bottom of her tank top. She let go and fought the urge to cover herself as he inched the shirt up over her waist. He'd already seen her several times, she told herself, just this morning, in fact!

"Let's try this"

She gasped as he lifted her by her waist and sat up, setting her down on the tops of his thighs. She wanted to ask what he was doing, but he kissed her, immediately taking her to that hot, churning place he'd taught her to crave. It wasn't until his big hands covered her small chest that she broke away with a groan, only for him to follow her, catching her mouth again along the rest of the sounds that his hands elicited.

Because he didn't stop there. His hands went everywhere; from her breasts, down her sides and her legs where he'd switch directions and trail his fingers back up past the leg of her sleep shorts to trace the lacy edge of her panties.

She collapsed against his chest with a small cry, but he didn't stop. No, he just made a sound deep in his chest and bit her shoulder. "Tasuku!" Her hand flailed for purchase for a moment against his damp back until she dug in with her nails. "I'm going to fall over!"

She missed the shudder that went through him at the small, glorious pain. He tipped her head back and watched her eyes clench shut on a whimper as palmed her breast once again. "That's easy enough to fix."

Teru barely heard the words before the world spun and she was on her back with Tasuku kissing her so hard that her head was pressed back against the futon. She groaned as his full weight came on top of her, his chest hair rasping against her breasts and the narrow width of his waist splaying her legs apart as he rested between them.

And oh boy. Oh, oh, oh boy. This was what she was missing and she hadn't even known it. She wrapped her arms around him so he couldn't go anywhere and met him kiss for kiss. When he broke away to kiss her neck she almost dragged him back by his hair, but it felt so good. She gasped as he slid down even further, sucking and kissing the skin all the way to her breasts.

She tugged on his hair to make him hurry. To make him do _something_. "Tasuku, please."

He reached up and grabbed her hands, linking their fingers before he trapped her hands by her shoulders. He looked down at her heaving chest, noting the marks he'd already made with the shadowy facial hair he always got in the evening. Such fragile skin. So clear and white. He grinned as he lowered his head.

Then this should show up quite nicely.

"Ah!" Teru's back arched as Tasuku kissed the tip of her breast and then softly bit it. "Tasuku!" He licked the small hurt away and then did it again. All over her breasts, both sides, there wasn't a spot that didn't receive his attention. He lifted his head, proud of his handiwork, and slid back up to kiss her. She lifted her mouth to his with a small sob, his name long since having given way to inarticulate cries as he drove her insane.

He let go of her hands and they immediately returned to his body, traveling up his back and down his sides, around to his chest, and into his hair. She couldn't touch him enough, kiss him long enough or deep enough though to sate this hunger he'd evoked. "Please. Tasuku, please."

He raised up on his elbows despite the pull of her hands to bring him back down. "Shh," he wiped the hair off of her face along with a stray tear and kissed her with a slow press of lips until her hands slid off his back and plopped back on the futon. "One second, Teru."

She felt him lift completely off of her and she took the moment to cover her face with shaking hands in an effort to calm down. A moment that was completely wasted when she felt him tug on the band of her shorts. She peeked at him from between her fingers and lost her breath when she saw that he'd already gotten rid of his briefs. He looked bigger than he had in the shower.

Much bigger.

He tugged again. "Lift your legs, Princess."

She did as he asked without thought as she continued to stare from between her fingers. He pulled off her sleep shorts then ran his hands up her legs to play with the bows at each corner of the pink panties. "I was going to keep these on a while longer," he ran a finger down where the fragile lace met the crease of her leg and sent another silent prayer of thanks to the underwear god. "But right now that's a just a good way for a nice pair to get ripped."

Her legs closed on his arm involuntarily as he skimmed another finger along the inside edges of her panties. She licked kiss-stung lips and panted as he smoothed her legs back apart with smooth glides of his rough hands along her thighs and heated murmurs. "We… we're not going to fit," she whispered, holding onto the futon with both hands.

His heart, already pounding so hard at the long-awaited feast before him, turned over for good measure at the innocent trepidation in her voice. He'd heard that girls first times were often, at best, 'horribly uncomfortable if not that painful'. He knew she'd heard the same thing as Riko and Rena (god help him) were two of the ones who'd told him. He wanted better for her.

"We are," he told her tenderly. He slid his fingers into the frilly waistband at her hip and tugged them off, then down her legs. He said nothing as she covered her face again with her hands. Instead he just laid back down, gritting his teeth as the bare, heated junction of her thighs pressed against his abdomen. "I just have to get you ready."

Her back arched and her hands reached for him again at the first touch of him…everywhere. He kissed her again, touched her again, and her worries melted once again under the heat. She couldn't even move her body against his without some fresh new pleasure sparking through her mind.

He shifted against her and she ripped her mouth away so she could cry out at the sensation of his dick coming between them to lay between them, right up against her curls. She threw her head back, gasping his name as he purposefully moved, dragging back through her folds, then pushing forward to rub against that one special spot at the top that made her melt against him even more.

"Put your legs around me," he whispered hotly against her ear. He groaned along with her when she complied, her silken legs tightening around his hips and increasing the pressure. "You're so hot, Teru. So perfect. You were made for me," he bit her neck and shuddered as she rolled her hips against him in her passion. "Just like this."

He'd shown her the pleasure before. But nothing like this. This was… "I'm, I'm going crazy! Please, please…" But she whimpered when his hips went still, her own lifting involuntarily in an effort to recapture the sensations.

"Teru, put your arms around me." The note in his rough voice had her opening her eyes to meet his. He slid his own arm under her shoulders and then pressed his forehead against hers. "This may hurt for a moment, okay? But only this first time, okay?" She nodded. "Hold onto me, baby."

"It's okay," she whispered back, leaning forward to kiss him softly. "I want this, Tasuku. I want you. I love you."

He nodded and kissed her. He kissed her until some of the tension melted out of the arms she had tight around him then he slid his free hand down her side until he reached her leg. He lifted his hips until he could reach between them and touch her, taking in her gasp as he continued making love to her mouth. He circled the small opening over and over, garnering her small cries of pleasure and spreading the wetness that would ease his way. He slid his thumb in to draw out more when she suddenly wrenched her head to the side with a cry, her fingernails raked across his back.

Okay. That was it. A man could only take so much.

Tasuku captured her mouth in another kiss as he removed his hand and guided himself to her entrance. He lifted his head and looked down into her eyes as he started to push in. "I love you, Teru."

She wanted to say it back, but her voice wouldn't cooperate. All she seemed able to do was make embarrassing, inarticulate sounds as Tasuku slowly pushed inside of her. It did hurt, she felt stretched and the one burst of pain was sharper than she'd expected, but it also amplified all the other things he'd made her feel tonight until she felt she was going to fly apart.

He didn't stop until he was seated fully inside, where she was so hot and wet and tight he was sure he was about to fly apart. He sat there for several seconds in order for her to get used to him. He'd been aware of the sharp sound she'd made when he'd pushed past her maidenhead, but she hadn't said stop and she hadn't pushed him away. She'd actually held him tighter, hiding her face against his neck after the first few moments. Now she was completely wrapped around him and trembling so hard he was suddenly certain he'd done something wrong. "Teru?" Panting, he kissed her forehead and chanted at himself inside his head not to move. "Are you okay?"

Her reply was lost against his neck, so he raised himself up enough to see her face. Her tear stained gaze looked back at him and he felt his stomach clench in fear. He had hurt her! "Teru, I'm sorrmphh." Was all he got out before she plastered her lips to his, kissing him with all the heat and passion that he'd feared he'd extinguished with his impatience. She murmured something against his lips that he missed. "What?"

"Aren't you going to move," she whispered again, too besieged by promised sensations to be embarrassed at her own pushiness.

"Like this?" He smiled down at her and pulled his hips back, then slowly pushed back in.

She could've sworn she was seconds from climaxing when he'd first pushed home, but the tension just kept ratcheting up. The slow, churning movements of him inside of her made her mind melt and all she could do was hold on and whimper. Which was why she was surprised when she heard herself gasp, "Faster."

She was even more surprised when stopped, lifted his head to look into her eyes, and tell her in a guttural voice, "No."

"What? Why?" She moved one hand up to his hair and held on as one particular movement had crying out, her shoulders lifting from the futon. "Please?"

She was trying to kill him he decided as he shook the sweat from his eyes. "I don't want to hurt you. It's your first time," he finished on a groan as her inner muscles fluttered around him. And if he pounded into the way he wanted they'd _both_ have trouble walking tomorrow.

She arched against him as he pulled back and nearly had him complying with her request as she pleaded for him to do something, anything.

He could do something, alright.

He moved the arm under her shoulders down until it he could slip it under her hips and cant her hips slightly forward towards his. Instead of faster, he actually went slower, swirling his hips every few centimeters in a way that had her arching her neck back into the futon with a cry. He brought his other hand between them and slid his thumb around the stretched ring of flesh that surrounded his girth. He'd meant to slicken his fingers, but she jerked in his arms, her nails biting deep once more as he touched that sensitive ring of muscle. One press of his thumb against her clit and she exploded in his arms.

Tasuku let out a curse as she clamped down around him with a scream. He wanted to feel everything; her endless tremors, the way her heels dug into his hips, the way she said his name over and over against his neck while she pulled his hair. But he couldn't; his own ending cascading down upon him as the sheer reality of her seeped into his skin. He could only groan her name and shake as he came inside her, holding her tight in his arms as her still-fluttering muscles made sure to draw out every sensation he'd never even knew existed until that point.

He'd heard the saying before, but he swore it felt like he was dying.

Maybe she was dead, was her first conscious thought several minutes later. Nobody could live through that, right? Was she even breathing? She blew out an unsteady breath and nodded. Okay, breathing, check. That probably meant she was wasn't dead. She unclenched her hands from Tasuku's hair, wincing at the number of blond strands that fell away with her fingers, and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. "We're not dead, right?" she asked, just to confirm.

His face was buried in her neck, but took a deep breath and let it slowly out like she had done. "I think we're good." He lifted himself up and braced his elbows on either side of her shoulders. His eyes lingered over every feature before he lowered his head and gave her a sweet kiss. "Are you okay?"

She knew her smile had to be somewhere in the goofy range, but she couldn't help it. "I'm amazing. You're amazing!" She looped her arms around his neck and drew him down for another kiss. She petted his shoulders when they broke apart and scrunched her nose at him. "I love you so much. Do you know that people actually told me I wouldn't like it? They said it would take _days_ for me to get used to this. To you."

He wanted to call up their friends and gloat, but Teru would tell them soon enough. Then he could silently gloat. Even better. So he just said, "Really?"

She reached a hand up and cupped hid cheek. "You took such good care of me, Tasuku. It was wonderful" She smiled up at him through her lashes and nearly got attacked again before he got a hold of himself. "Thank you for not stopping."

That made him laugh. "God, I love you Teru. You're welcome. Thank you for not stopping me." He reached out a hand and brushed the tangles of hair off her face strand by strand. "I am really surprised that you're awake, though."

She bit back the yawn that had just made an appearance. "What do you mean?"

He reached behind her and pulled over a pillow, lifting her head onto it gently as the yawn finally won. "You fall asleep after you cry. You fall asleep after you're really angry. I figured making love might be one of the things that makes you pass out." He traced a dried tear path down her cheek. "Especially since I _know_ you cried more than once tonight."

"Hmmph," she shivered as he sat back to grab the covers that had ended up much further away than she'd thought. She mentally hmmph'd again when he laid down beside her and drew the cover over them both, then sighed in contentment when he pulled her against his side to rest against his shoulder. "Isn't dinner coming soon?"

Since that question was a drowsy murmur against his skin, he just made an affirmative sound that seemed to satisfy her and proceeded to watch as she fell quickly to sleep. He thought briefly of all the things he could have done; he could have carried her to the bath or checked on their dinner. He nodded to himself. He'd made the right choice. She'd have fallen asleep in the bath or over dinner. And this way, he thought happily as she curled closer to his side, he could stare at the love of his life, his fiancé, and the mother of his future children as much as she wanted without her telling him to 'quit it'.

He could also relive every moment of their time together tonight until it was imprinted as an indelible memory that he could pull out whenever he wanted.

He froze as she stretched against his side, cuddling her face against his shoulder before sighing his name in her sleep.

Or both, he reasoned as his feelings for her swamped him. He curled around her with a shaky, happy sigh. He could do both.


	42. Chapter 42

Tasuku woke up when he reached for Teru and found nothing but a pillow and her discarded tank top. He balled the shirt up in his hand and lifted it to his nose with a sigh. Some men, he thought sleepily, might be worried if the woman they'd just slept with was gone from the bed the moment they woke up. But _those _bastards, he thought smugly as he rubbed his face into her pillow, weren't engaged to the bravest, smartest, (and now he could say it) sexiest girl on the planet.

Of course, it helped that she was three feet away on the other side of the shoji screen humming softly to herself.

He turned over and propped his chin onto his folded arms and watched her silhouette against the rice paper. His eyes traced the delicate lines of her arms and her neck as she piled her hair into a bun. He blinked his eyes hard and swallowed hard as his throat grew unaccountably thick with feeling.

She was so goddamn beautiful. And now she was his.

She'd probably yank on his hair if she heard him say that and ask, hadn't she been 'his' for more than a year? Longer than that, actually, years if he counted when he'd mentally claimed her for his own. But he couldn't help it. The good ol' hindbrain just somehow mentally tattooed 'property of Kurosaki Tasuku' all over her tiny, delectable, perfect body that he suddenly wished everybody (every 'male' body) could see.

He'd been ready for anything, this first time. He'd never been with a virgin and every (Japanese) porn video he'd ever seen had the inexperienced girl chanting 'no' or 'don't' or 'stop' while the guy just kept going. He knew for a fact that Teru had never seen any porn, because he'd teasingly asked her one day while she was studying and her answer had floored him.

"Rena suggested it," she'd replied seriously to his tease, albeit with a cherry-red blush. "She said it might mentally prepare me, especially if I wasn't planning on being drunk for my first time, like she was. But," and she'd twiddled the end of her mechanical pencil as she studiously avoided his gaze. "I don't want anybody else's idea of that in my head. I want it to be just ours. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE I HAVE TO STUDY!"

She hadn't watched movies or read books like that either. Not for the same reason, he'd found out. It was just because she was poor and had never had cable, a dvd player, or money to go to the movies like other girls her age. She hadn't done any pleasure reading for most of high school and she leaned towards historical stuff anyways. Probably the steamiest thing she'd read had been the BDSM Betsukomi that her friends had brought her while she was in the hospital.

And he was glad. Ecstatic. Because that meant that her responses were just that. Hers. And they were his, too. He thought of her whispered 'faster' and smiled. He'd half expected her to faint and instead she'd blown his mind with her ready acceptance and her heady response to his every touch. He'd had a long time to think about this and his imagination hadn't been anywhere close to the reality of her. Reality had been a thousand times better.

He already knew her so intimately, but it turned out he couldn't predict this. He thought back to her brother's deadly Teru trivia game and grinned. He couldn't wait to find new truths, new expressions and sounds that would belong only to him.

He reached for the screen. And he could only get started on that if she came back to the futon.

Teru had woken curled up against Tasuku feeling stupid in love, somewhat proud, and happier than she'd ever felt.

As soon as she shifted position she'd also felt sore and sticky as well as sweat-encrusted.

Feeling shy and self-conscious, she slowly extricated herself from beside Tasuku's sleeping form and run to the shower. She'd stopped with a gasp in front of the restroom mirrors and lifted a hand to her chest. She touched one of the many red marks that covered her neck and breasts, remembering with a shiver the feel of his lips and tongue and teeth on her skin. She looked back towards the bedroom and had to slap her cheeks to stop herself from going back in and burrowing against his side, sticky or not.

She turned on the shower with a shaking hand and leaned her forehead against the cool tiles. She had felt pretty normal, if sore, when she woke up, but now, as her mind replayed the way he looked, the way he felt against her, in her… She turned the temperature down a notch as her own temperature went up. She shook her head and reached for the loofah. She didn't know when Tasuku was going to wake up and she had to see if the food was here so she could have it ready for him.

She went through the motions quickly, though washing between her legs made her drop to her knees at both the sensitivity and soreness. It took her several trembling moments before she could finish her ministrations and get on with the rest of the shower. By the time she was done she'd lowered the temperature several more times and could still think of nothing else but Tasuku and what they'd done.

She just need to get dressed, she reasoned as she dried her hair. She soon buried her face in a towel after a tug of the hairbrush had her making a sound between a sigh and a moan. And, she chided herself, embarrassed, you need to stop touching yourself, that would probably help.

Teru opened the door to the restroom, and after a quick peek at the screen to see that it was still closed, tip-toed quickly to the chests that held their clothes. A quick look reminded her that her sleep shorts were still in the room with Tasuku. She brought out one of the new pieces with a blush. Should she wear this? Were... were they done for the night? If she wore this was she telling him that she didn't _want _to be done for the night?

Her stomach fluttered and suddenly she didn't feel _that_ sore. Did she want to keep going tonight?

"Gah!" she laid her head on the edge of the drawer. She felt so strange; nervous and gauche and embarrassed but also curious and edgy and hot. "Okay, that's enough." She sat up and put her hands together. "Underwear gods, please guide my hand in tonight's selection." She kept her eyes closed and reached into the drawer. She opened her eyes and sighed in relief at what she'd pulled out. "Thank you," she whispered.

She hummed to herself to try and keep her mind clear as she pulled on the one truly opaque piece that she'd received; a plum-colored satin baby-doll camisole that came a third of the way down her thighs and covered the matching underwear. It wasn't just a short slip though, she ran a finger along the lace that ran in a 'V' in front of each leg, adding just enough material for the skirt to flare ever so slightly. The lace was echoed at the top edge of the bodice and created shadows that made it look like she might possibly have cleavage. It made her feel covered but also indescribably feminine. She smoothed her hands down the front and prayed that Tasuku wouldn't mind that she hadn't worn one of the see-through concoctions that he'd handled earlier.

She'd work her way up to those.

"Yosh." Feeling decently clad, she reached for a hair thing and pulled her hair up and back. It was just before ten but she didn't feel sleepy at all. She fiddled with her hair a bit and snuck a peek at the screen as she heard Tasuku shift on the futon. Of course, she thought with a blush, they'd slept several hours today when they hadn't been… busy.

A quick, quiet knock on the door had her biting back a yelp and scrambling for her towel. She wrapped it firmly around herself and crawled over to open the door. She found a covered, footed tray, but no person. Thankful for that small blessing, she pulled the tray in and relocked the door.

Teru found that this evening's meal contained nothing but finger food. There was a box of temari sushi as well as a dragon roll. There was a plate of gyoza, tiny roe-filled onigiri, and harumaki rolls along with an assortment of dipping bowls. They'd even brought chocolate covered strawberries and mitarashi dango. She knew Tasuku had chosen the meal and that made her wonder, she picked up a strawberry, did he plan on feeding her or was it just for convenience?

Did he want her to feed him? She crawled over to the mirror by the dresser and held up the strawberry. She tried three times before she was satisfied with her 'coquettish' face. "Tasuku," she whispered to the mirror, "say 'aaahhh'-eep!"

She nearly fell over when the shoji screen opened with a quiet hiss. She practically threw the strawberry back onto the tray as he peered at her with one eye open as he rested on his stomach, his ropy arms crossed in front of him as serving as a prop for his chin as he looked at her from over the top of the pillow.

"What are you doing?"

She knew that her 'nothing!' was a little too loud to be believable.

"Uh huh." He swept a hand over his hair and blinked his eyes as he adjusted to the light. "Why are you wearing a towel over your clothes?"

She looked down at herself with a mental curse. She'd forgotten to take the towel off after she'd answered the door. She yanked the stupid thing off without looking at him and threw it across the room. She'd wanted to look cute for him, darn it! "So, anyway, dinner just came." She reached for the tray with a pout but faltered at his reverent and drawn out 'Woooooooow'.

"You are so fucking beautiful, Teru." She blushed and peeked over at him to find him staring wide-eyed at her ensemble. She held perfectly still, even holding her breath as he reached out a long arm and rubbed an edge of satin between his fingertips. He slowly raised his eyes to hers and smiled a smile so lecherous and goofy that it made her laugh. "Best. Fiancé. Ever."

Teru glowed at his words, snickering as she picked up the tray. She stepped past him and set it down on the futon as he closed the screen once more. "Dinner," she said again, her voice catching as he ran a finger along the lace. "I don't know about you, but I am starving."

"Oh, yeah."

The way he said those two words had her heart racing in her chest. "Um, anyway," she said airily, trying for nonchalant. "I noticed that you chose finger foods tonight."

He didn't answer as he turned over and sat up, the covers falling to his waist as he stretched his arms above his head. She reached for her water as all the spit dried up in her mouth. Of course he was still naked. Naked, naked, nak…

"Yeah," he said, thankfully breaking her train of thought. "And do you know why?"

"Less crumbs?"

He smiled at her thready voice. "I thought I'd seduce you by hand-feeding you dinner." He shrugged as her cheeks bloomed with color. "Just in case I needed the help."

"Oh." She looked down at the food and the disappointed look on her face made him want to kiss her until she forgot her own name. "Does that mean you don't want to do that now since… since," she cleared her throat to try again, but swallowed it back with a gasp when Tasuku suddenly dragged her forward and onto his lap.

He hugged her close as he gave in to the urge to kiss her. She was so damn cute, so unwittingly sexy that he was in danger of forgetting _his_ own name. He kept it up until she was limp in his arms then drew back with a sigh. He gave her a little shake so that her eyes would open, then he kissed softly once more, holding her close as he spoke against her lips. "I'm not done seducing you, Teru."

"I don't think you need the help," she whispered weakly.

That got her kissed again before he sat back, shifting her to a more comfortable position on his lap. His hands stilled as he caught her small wince. He tilted her chin up and waited for her to look at him. "I am such a dick. I should have asked you right away instead of staring at your boobs; are you okay?" He kissed her cheek in such a sweet gesture that she felt her eyes sting. "Did I hurt you?"

She nuzzled her cheek against his hand and blushed to the roots of her hair. "I'm fine. I'm a little, um, tender. That's normal, right?" She gave up and hid her face against his chest. "The landlady gave me something she said would help, but I forgot about it until now."

"Well, go get it," he told her matter-of-factly, dropping a kiss on top of her head. "I'll help."

She immediately tried to scramble off of his lap. "You will not!"

He held her against him with ridiculous ease and pouted down at her mortified face. "But I really _want_ to help." He kept his eyes on hers as ran a hand down her back and slowly pulled up the back of her shift. He then ran his hand softly down her satin-covered ass until he covered her tender flesh with the heat of his palm. "Later."

She couldn't breathe. He just held her gently and she didn't know whether she wanted to smack his hand away or demand he press harder. She couldn't seem to close her eyes either. She stared back at him and reached up to touch his face, his expression tender and teasing and lustful all at the same time. "Later?"

He brought his hand back up to rub her back and kissed her softly once more. "I'll help you later." She gasped again as he picked her up once more and set her off his lap. "But first, other business and food." He stood up and winked at Teru, who'd gone mute at the view, before wagging a finger at her. "Be right back. Don't eat all the dangos."

And you know, he could still her scream even when she pushed her face into the futon like that.


	43. Chapter 43

"You're going to go bald."

Tasuku smiled at her whispered proclamation as he slowly wiped a crumb from her lip. Whenever she was at her limit she always went back to threatening his hair. "Uh huh. Your turn."

He was driving her crazy and he had been ever since he came back into the room. She'd thought that he would don some shorts before coming back in, but no, he just strolled back in, naked as when he'd left, and sat down on the futon once more. He had tossed the sheet over his lap with a wink when she'd adjusted the tray with shaking hands and almost tipped the food onto the bedding. When she'd messed the tray to her blushing satisfaction, Tasuku had tugged her over to sit in front of him so that they could feed each other dinner and talk about nothing and everything.

It almost seemed normal, Teru thought. After all, they often sat this close on the couch at his apartment when they ate dinner. Except, Teru thought with a shiver, she usually wasn't sitting there wearing almost nothing with a naked Tasuku while he whispered stupid, wonderful things while hand-feeding her. Things like how he thought her skin was the softest, most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and he couldn't believe he had to privilege to touch it.

Then when she was staring at him and speechless at his praise he'd feed her a bite of food and stare at her mouth with a heated expression until she forgot to chew (and maybe breathe) and he'd have to remind her.

And he kept touching her. Little touches; a slide of a hand along her cheek, a fingertip over her collarbone, or a large hand combing her hair back off her neck. It was nothing as intimate as what they'd done earlier, yet here she was, nearly panting and leaning into his every touch.

She'd been feeding him too, but even that was pushing her buttons. She'd raised a piece of sashimi to his mouth and told him to say 'ahh' in an effort to be enticing, but he'd grabbed her wrist and eaten it in two careful bites and then slowly sucked her fingers clean, keeping his eyes on hers the whole time.

"Earth to Teru."

She looked up from where she'd been staring at his mouth and remembering the hot suction on her fingers. "Huh?"

He wanted to tackle her to the ground so badly his teeth ached, but he just tapped the food tray and then his lips. "It's your turn. Aren't you going to feed me?"

She wanted to toss the stupid tray away and tackle him, but she had no idea how to go about that or if she was even allowed to, so she blindly grabbed a piece and brought it up, only to pause halfway as an idea came to her.

"I'll give it to you for a… for a kiss," she stuttered, smiling shyly up at him.

Her hand started to tremble when he stopped smiling, his eyes going heavy as he stared at her.

He took the hand that held the food and pulled her forward until she was up on her knees directly in front of him. He was so tall (or she was so short) that even this way they were practically face to face with him sitting down. "Just one kiss?"

She nodded mutely, her lips parting in anticipation as he slid a hand under her hair and grasped her neck.

He pulled her forward, enjoying the way her eyes fluttered closed when they were a breath apart. She was so magical. She responded to the slightest tease or caress with a catch of her breath and a delicate tremor. The flush on her cheeks now how nothing to do with embarrassment and everything to do with awareness and arousal. He could tell she didn't know how to respond or reciprocate, and God, wasn't that going to be fun to teach her. She was learning fast on her own, though. He'd just been feeding her like a moron when he could have been bartering for favors.

Teru sighed with something akin to relief when Tasuku finally, finally pressed his lips to hers. This time it was her heart that sighed at the achingly tender and sweet kiss that he gave her, the hand at her nape rubbing soft circles that threatened to melt her all the muscles that kept her head erect. She opened her mouth under his, then gasped, her eyes popping open as Tasuku pulled back. "What…?"

He rubbed his nose against hers and pulled back just a hair when she leaned towards him. "You said just one."

Her arms crept around his neck as she stared at his mouth. "Just one what?" she whispered.

He just smiled as she closed the small distance and kissed him herself.

This time when she opened her mouth he was right there with her. She whimpered at the bold thrust of his tongue against hers and shivered as the hand on her neck slid around to

cup her face, angling her head so he could deepen the kiss even more. She groaned along with him when his other hand slid up along the soft skin at the back of her thighs and over her modest curves, before burrowing under her top to glide up her back. There he glided his fingertips up and down the subtle dip along her spine before he fit the curve of his hand to her waist, marveling with the two brain cells he had left at the delicate way she was put together.

His touch and his kiss made her feel frenzied. There was still a small gap between them so she pulled at his shoulders to bring him closer, then jumped when he yelped and pulled back, laughing. "What? What's the matter?"

Tasuku dropped his head to her shoulder and let out another short laugh before he unwrapped her arms from around him. "That cod roe is cold."

His voice, so deep and gravelly after their kiss, hit her low in the stomach so that it took a moment for the words to register. "What's cold?" He held up her hand and showed her the remnants of the roe-filled onigiri. "Oh my gosh!" Her hands raised to her mouth as he reached over his shoulder and brought back sticky rice. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I forgot I was holding that."

He laughed in delight and watched her scramble for a cloth. "I know."

The self-satisfied way he said those two words had her blushing and laughing back. She finally came up with the t-shirt he'd been wearing earlier and gestured for him to turn around. "Technically this is your fault. I just asked for one kiss."

He wagged a finger in her face. "Hey. I gave it to you. Everything after that is on you."

She giggled and crawled around him since he wasn't moving. "And now everything is on you. Ugh, it was the cod, too. That will be mess…"

Tasuku looked over his shoulder at her gasp and found her staring his back, t-shirt in hand. "What? That bad?"

Teru raised and touched a finger to one of the many red welts on his back and shoulders. She touched another small mark, then looked at her nails, noting the matching crescents.

He kept silent as she quietly wiped his back clean then closed his eyes as he felt her lips press softly to his back.

She kissed her way across his shoulders then wrapped her arms around his chest in a hug as she dropped her head against his poor scratched-up skin. "I… I'm so sorry."

She was only about ten seconds into her guilt trip when Tasuku wordlessly slid out of her arms and reached out a long arm to grab his phone from the charging station near the futon. Her brows knit when he sat back and passed it to her. "Take a picture. I can't see it."

She closed her eyes in mortification, but took the phone. She winced at the flash and handed it back. When he didn't speak she rose up on her knees to look over his shoulder as he stared at the picture. "I didn't, um, break the skin or anything. Does it hurt? We could probably put some of the salve that the innkeeper gave me on it." She thought of the ibuprofen that he'd pushed on her at the beginning of the meal for any 'aches' she might have and wondered if he'd need some too. When he still didn't answer she ran a hand lightly over his shoulder, gently following the path of one of the marks she'd left on his skin with her nails. "Are you mad?"

She swallowed hard when he clicked the screen off and tossed the phone back towards the charger.

"That," he said solemnly as he turned around to face her. "Is going to be the best fucking screensaver I will ever have in my life."

Before her expression could change from guilty and worried to confused she found herself flat on her back with a naked Tasuku pressing her into the futon. She tried to catch her breath after his lightning move, but found herself being kissed within an inch of her life, much like when he'd first found her on the island. Unlike that time though, she welcomed the weakness that invaded her muscles and the fog that swept her mind as he kissed her over and over.

He pulled back with a groan and watched her lift passion heavy lids. He reached out for one of her hands and brought it to his lips. "Do you know how many times I've imagined you holding onto me," he brought her hand, with her pretty nails that she'd done up with graduation in mind, to his chest and deliberately pressed them hard against his flesh. "digging your nails into me while I made love to you?" She shook her head and was rewarded with a hard, quick kiss that left her gasping as he moved on to her neck. "So don't apologize," he muttered hotly against her skin. "Are you mad at me because of these?"

"No," she groaned as he slowly lapped at one of the marks that littered her skin between her breasts and her throat.

"Then don't worry about marking me up. Wait, that's not right." He lifted his head and smiled at her in such a way that made her legs shift restlessly on the futon. "Please," he said simply as he slid a strap down her shoulder. "Please mark me up, my Princess." He kept his eyes on hers as he did the same to the other side. "Don't hold back." His eyes dropped as he slowly tugged on the satin, revealing her to his hot gaze. "Because I'm not going to."

And he didn't hold back. He raised his eyes to hers as he closed his mouth over her nipple, his eyes growing even hotter as he sucked her into the wet heat of his mouth. She felt self-conscious and exposed under his piercing gaze. She wanted to tell him to stop staring while he touched her like this, but she couldn't. Mainly because the only word she seemed capable of saying was his name, but also because she _wanted_ him to look at her just like that.

Like he was ravenous. Like he wanted to see what he did to her. Like he adored her.

Tasuku couldn't look away. If the taste and the feel of her weren't enough to blow him away, there was the way she watched him. And she kept saying his name, no, she kept _moaning _his name. Or whimpering it in between the pants and other little sounds she made every time he changed the pressure or the angle with his lips and tongue. He finally drew back slowly, purposely scraping her nipple against his teeth as he did, and relished her shaking cry and the way her entire body jerked against him.

They stared at each other for a moment, both of them panting, then Tasuku slid back up and simply pressed his lips against hers, twining their fingers together before pressing her hands to the futon. He lifted his head and grinned at her. "So you know how I've been chewing all that gum?"

He wanted to talk about that now? "Riko called it 'oral fixation'." She whispered as she wrapped a leg around his and drew her foot up and down the back of his thigh. "She… she said it's common when people quit smoking." She lifted her face towards him for another kiss.

He complied with a soft tangle of tongues that had her hands clenching in his grip as she tried to get free in order to hold him.

But he didn't let her go. He raised his head again and dropped kisses over her upturned face before whispering hotly into her ear, "I don't think I'll need the gum anymore."

She was barely paying attention to what he said, shivering convulsively as he dipped his tongue in her ear. "Why not?" she gasped.

He raised his head and grinned at her, wiggling his eyebrows before sliding back down to her chest. "You taste much better than gum."

Clueing in she giggled and tried to roll away, but he still had her hands pinned. "You can't!" She laughed at his muffled 'can too'. Her breath caught as he started tracing circles with his tongue. Her eyes closed and her hands clenched in his, glad for the anchor as pleasure arched her spine.

They snapped open a moment later as Tasuku lifted his head.

"There's something else I want to do."

The serious, hungry look on his face made all the muscles in her thighs turn to water. "What?"

He let go of her hands and kissed her until she was wrapped around him and whimpering. He broke apart with a gasp of his own and rested his forehead against hers as he tried to catch his breath. "It might seem a little scary at first, but let's try it. Okay?" He kissed her again, pulling away before he got lost in her generous mouth. "I promise you'll like it."

She looked at him with shy but trusting eyes. "I've liked everything so far." She bit her lip and glanced away, looking so damn adorable and sexy he was going to have an accident. "Have you?"

"Like isn't the word for it," he groaned. He slid down once more, kissing and licking his way down until he met the top of the chemise. His eyes met hers for a brief, electric moment before he slid down even further.

Teru could feel herself begin to shake as he ran his hands along the top of her thighs to where the slip fell. She reached down, ready to pull it up and off, but he laid his hand over hers and shook his head. Instead he traced edge of the lace and satin, then slowly pushed it up to where the top was already pooled beneath her breasts. He kept his eyes on hers as he pushed one leg up, settling it over his wide shoulder as he made himself comfortable between her legs. He pressed one hot kiss to her thigh before turning his attention to her panties.

Tasuku delicately traced the sworls and whirls of the satin and lace that covered her mound, relishing the way her she alternately panted or held her breath before letting it out in soft, almost secret cries. He lowered his head and kissed the bow at the very top where the edge met her skin. He stayed there for a moment and closed his eyes, breathing deep at her welcoming scent. "I used to dream of this when you would sit next to me in the couch in your school uniform." He opened his mouth against the top of her mound and purposefully let out a slow, hot breath. Her hands immediately clenched in his hair as she let out shaky moan. "In my mind I'd drop to my knees and push up your short little skirt." He rubbed his rough cheek against her trembling thigh and made a rough sound of his own when her heel pressed hard into his back. "I'd peel off those little white panties of yours and push you back against the couch as I ate you alive."

Her throat arched and her back bowed as he pressed a kiss to the front of her panties. His name burst from her lips as he did it again. Her shoulders came off the bedding even though it was just a soft, glancing touch. "Isn't this a little... a little advanced?"

"Nope." He smiled and scraped his teeth over the lace at her hip. "Couples often do this before they ever get to the actual sex part." The wet of his tongue darkened the fabric as he traced where it met her skin. "In fact," he looked up and met her eyes as he slowly lowered his head. "I think we have some catching up to do."

She watched him, their eyes locked together as he extended his tongue and drew a line down the center of her panties.

Tasuku pressed one hand to her stomach as she jack-knifed, her breath a gurgle of sound in her throat as he repeated the caress.

"Oh, Teru." He used the other hand to hold her leg down, keeping her from putting his head in the softest, strongest vice known to man. He pressed harder, bringing his tongue to a point as he delved deeper into the satin. Another breathless cry from her had him closing his eyes and sliding his hands to the top of her panties. Then they both held their breath as he tugged them down.

He only got them about an inch before the position she was in - he was in- made it impossible to move them any further. He fisted his hands in the fabric and dropped one more kiss on the material before meeting her eyes. "Sorry."

And then he tore them off of her.

He ignored the strangled sound that came from her throat as his attention shifted. "God. Teru." She was perfect. Trembling and wet and perfect. And he couldn't wait any longer.

At the first kiss Teru nearly jerked out away from him, clawing at the futon with one hand while the other tried to pull his face away using the grip on his hair. But he didn't stop. He just held her tighter and kissed her, tasted her, and explored her with a fervent ardor that had her sobbing his name. She shuddered as she felt more than heard him murmur against her skin, then she cried out as he touched her; his fingers adding one more unbearable, chaotic sensation to the madness.

He slid one long finger into her and groaned along with her. "That's it, Princess." He could barely speak as lust and love threatened to close his throat. Every gasp and cry out of her throat was a mix of surprise, pleasure, and a little bit of fear. Even now her eyes were squeezed shut and she was so tense, but her hips were subtly rocking against his hand and his mouth. He knew she had to be tender so he kept his touch light, gently moving his finger in and out, but he kept his eyes on her face as he circled his tongue around the swollen nub at the top of her cleft before sucking it into his mouth.

She grabbed onto his hair with both hands. "Oh my god! Tasuku!" She couldn't see. She couldn't breathe. Even her heart seemed to stop for one painful second as the universe narrowed down to that small space between her legs and what he was doing to her.

The sound of his name from her lips at this moment, her cries as she curled towards him and came against his tongue, was the sweetest music on the planet. He lifted his head so he could watch her, his finger still pressed deep so he could feel every tremor and liquid clench of her body as she shook. And her entire body was shaking, especially her legs. He ran a soothing hand over the one that lay clenched over his shoulder and shifted it off, murmuring sweet nothings as she came down from the high.

He pressed one last kiss to her quivering stomach removed her hands from his hair then shifted himself up to lay beside her. Teru immediately turned into his arms, making him smile as she hid her face against his chest. He ran his own trembling hand down her back and tried to slow down his breathing. "See?" He clenched his teeth as she wrapped her arm around him, pressing her naked front to his. "I told you you'd like it."

Her laughter, she realized distantly, sounded more like a sob. She held him tighter and took deep breaths as she tried to stop shaking. "Yeah." She kissed his chest then nuzzled her face against him. She missed his soft groan as her ears were still ringing. "But now I'm never going to be able to look you in the face again. So, I'm not sure it's a good trade off."

"Are you kidding? We still have to play out my couch fantasy." He slid his hand into her hair and tugged until she met his gaze. "And the same one involving my bed. That thing is the perfect height with me on my knees," he drawled.

His eyes were so hot as they trailed over her face that her breath caught and her thighs squeezed together at the promise there. A whimper escaped before she found her voice once again. "I don't have to wear the uniform anymore, remember."

"Yeah, but you have a _lot _of skirts." He ran a hot hand down her side and then her leg, tugging it over his waist until they were pressed center to center. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head when she dropped her head to his chest once again, her breath coming in hitching pants. "even if you're not in a uniform anymore," he groaned.

Teru's only response was a soft moan as he moved against her. She knew she was clutching at him again, but she didn't care. She needed to hold him. She opened her mouth against his chest, needing the taste of him. She just needed him. "Tasuku."

He dragged her head back again by her hair. "You are fucking killing me," he all but snarled. But the kiss he gave her was achingly tender, the fist in her hair smoothing out to cradle the back of her head as he poured his heart and soul into this meeting of mouths.

She all but melted into him. He caught himself hitching her leg higher on his waist, a second away from pressing into her. His head dropped back as he sucked in air and tried to find his self-control. "Are you too sore?" He asked behind gritted teeth. The way she kept kissing his neck and whispering his name was not helping in the slightest. "Teru, is it too soon?"

She put her hands on either side of his face and tugged until he looked at her. "It hurt a little when you, um, touched me earlier." She dropped her shy gaze to his chin as she got out the rest. "But it stopped right away after you… you know. After. It'll be the same, right?"

He cupped her brave face and clenched his eyes for a moment as she shifted against him. When he opened them again he rubbed his thumb over her lips. "I'll do my best. Tell me to stop if you need to." Then kissed her softly as he smoothed his hand down her back and further until he could guide himself to her entrance.

He groaned at the scalding wetness he met as he pressed home, his earlier ministrations leaving her creamier and softer than their first time. She broke away with a gasp and pressed her face to his throat as he slid into the hilt and then stopped. She was sore but it felt so good. She felt like she was going to fly apart but she didn't want him to stop.

"I won't stop," he held her tight and answered her fervent whisper with one of his own. He felt himself slipping out and without thinking he wrapped an arm around her tiny waist and rolled to his back.

She clutched his shoulders in surprise and drew in her knees to his side, gasping as the motion sat him deeper inside her. "Tasuku?"

If her shaky question hadn't been followed by a full body shudder, he might have rolled her back under him. As it was, he simply tugged the forgotten and crumpled chemise over her head, smiled, grasped her hips, and murmured to her to sit up.

And oh, fuck that was the either best and worst idea he'd ever had.

Because Teru almost immediately did sit up, sinking the whole length of him into her liquid depths. And then she just sat there, eyes closed shut, hands braced on his stomach as she panted and got used to him.

He could feel his balls draw up and he want to thrust more than he wanted to breathe. But he wanted this more. The view for one thing; her slim naked figure rising over him, her skin beaded in sweat and flushed with pleasure, her dainty breasts heaving with her breathing. And the look on her face; her face, eyes still closed, betrayed every twinge of pleasure and wonder. And the feel of her, fluttering and hot as she encased him. And she hadn't even started moving yet.

Her eyes opened on that thought and he raised his hands to her. "I love you, Teru."

She twined her fingers through his and blinked away the tear that came at his quiet declaration. "I love you, too." She bit her lip and braced her hands against his. "Like this?"

His head pressed back into the bedding but kept his eyes on hers as she slid up a few centimeters and then back down. "God, yes."

His hissed, guttural answer brought her almost as much pleasure as her tentative movements. She smiled and brought his hands back to her hips, her confidence growing under his ravenous gaze and patient love. "Show me what to do, Tasuku."

His eyes narrowed and a sound rumbled in his chest as he gripped her hips in a biting hold. That sound alone made her legs clench around his waist, then he moved her on him, lifting, pushing, and circling her hips against him. She cried out at the first swirling caress, her hands clenching his as her head fell back. He drew his knees up and pressed her hands back to brace against his thighs. Then saying her name, he gripped her hips once again and started to move, lifting her away as he pulled back only to pull her down to meet his upward thrust.

She knew she was crying, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't stop saying his name either, the pleasure and just Tasuku overwhelming her senses and everything else.

Tasuku suddenly sat up, his arm wrapping around her hips to keep her close as she came apart, her hips mindlessly moving against his and quickly bringing him to his own shattering release.

They held onto each other for a long time, trembling arms wrapped tight and nuzzling kisses on any part that didn't require that the person had to move more than a few centimeters. Tasuku was the first to sit back. He looked down at Teru who was resting her cheek on his chest and wiped a thumb across cheek. "Seriously. The crying thing. You are going to get sooo dehydrated this week."

She sniffed then looked up at him and grinned. "I don't think so. Do you know how many showers I've had today alone?"

"Yeah, about that," he reached out an arm and grabbed a glass of water. She made a soft sound as he slipped out of her at the movement. He passed it to her, noting and relishing her dazed expression. She sounded like a frog and he knew he didn't sound that much better. "You take a shower when we're _done_ making love. Not after every time. You'll be in the shower forever at this rate."

She passed him the glass then pressed her hands to her hot cheeks. "But I was all sweaty and… and sticky and…," she trailed off at his leering 'yeah'. She looked away and tried for as much dignity as she could while sitting naked in his lap. Especially since she was once again sweaty and sticky, and all the more so now, sore. "Anyway, maybe a bath is a good idea."

He stared at her turned face for two second before he put a finger under her chin and turned her to face him. "Damn it," he said softly, making her eyes jump to his worried ones. "You drive me so crazy I forgot to put on the stuff!"

She watched him sweep a hand through the bedding and come up with the tube of slippery elm. "When did you get that?" She had left it in the toiletries basket. "What do you mean 'you' forgot?"

He read the back of the instructions and missed the way she leaned back away from him. "I told I'd help you 'later'. I just meant to do it after we ate." He smirked at her and winked. "But I got distracted."

Oh boy, did he. She put out her hand. "I don't need help."

"Uh huh." He held it above his head to open it as she made a grab for it with her short little arms. He squeezed some out onto his fingers, then made a lightning grab, wrapping one arm around her waist as she tried to dash off his lap. "Is this any way to act when Daisy-san is trying to help you?" He slid his arm up and pinned her arms to her sides as she started to giggle and slap at his chest. "Besides," he grinned down at her scandalized and laughing face and wiggled his eyebrows. "my fingers are longer."

"Don't you daremphh!" Her protest cut off abruptly as he kissed her, effectively shutting her up as his tongue slid into her mouth. At the same time, he slid his hand with the ointment between her thighs. He kissed her deeper when she winced and slid in, loving the fact that his progress was eased by both her desire and his. He took his time, rubbing it against any spot that made her flinch or wince, until he was satisfied he'd tended all her hurts.

He drew back his hand but kept kissing her, needing no excuse to make out with his one true love. Teru was the one who finally broke away with a gasp. She rested her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around him as they'd been since a few seconds into his 'helping' her. She relaxed as he pet her hair and ran his hands up and down her back.

"Okay, thank you." She let out a deep breath and leaned back to look him in the eye. "And ow."

He winced even as he chuckled. "Ah. Sorry. Well," he clarified as he kissed her lightly. "I'm sorry you're hurt. We should go get in the onsen." He held his hands up as she shrunk back. "Just for a bath. I promise."

She slid off of his lap and tried to stand up on shaking legs. "So, we're done for tonight?"

He watched her as she stood up. What a difference a day made. She stood before him naked, arms raised as she twisted her hair back. She was covered in love bites and whisker burns and her thighs still glistened with both of them. He would never be done. Not even when they were a hundred and none of their parts worked anymore. Not ever.

"Yeah," he told her huskily, rolling to his feet. "If we don't want to have to wait for two days before I can touch you again, yeah. We're done for tonight. Now then," He scooped her into his arms, ignoring her squeal. "Let's get you into the soothing, healing waters, Princess."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, thankful for the ride as he made his way to the bath. "Just don't toss me in again."

"Alright. But I did not toss you," he told her easily as he stopped by the edge of the bath. She saw the look in his eye and began to laugh even as she struggled. "I dropped you." He winked at her and held her out over the water. "Like this."


	44. Chapter 44

"I've changed my mind! We don't have to go out." Teru dug her nails into the doorframe as Tasuku tugged at her waist. "There's plenty to do here!"

They had dropped off to sleep shortly after the bath the night before. She'd won the short war as to whether or not she could wear anything to bed and she'd fallen asleep curled up against his sulking form. She'd woken up draped across his chest with her head tucked under his chin and his arm around her waist. She'd snuggled closer, nose pressed to his chest to drink him in while she replayed every moment of the day before. She only slipped away when the need for the restroom had overcome her desire to cuddle.

She was _definitely_, definitely sore, as her stilted walk to the facilities showed, but it just made her happy. Stupidly, proudly, giddily happy. She was nearly singing to herself by the time she stood in front of the mirror. Teru tilted her face this way and that, curious as to whether she looked any different.

What she saw made her gasp just as Tasuku knocked on the door.

She opened the door and looked up at her frowning fiancé. Then she looked down. "How did you get dressed so fast?"

He poked her in the forehead, then carefully leaned down and gave her a soft, if short, kiss. "Because I'm a guy. Here." He held out a hand and gave her a glass of water and some pills. He stared anywhere but at her while she gulped them down and she was about to ask him what was wrong, when he said, "I'm going to go to the desk and see where we can get a decent breakfast. I'm starving." He cupped her cheek for a moment and she took a step towards him at the look in his eye but he quickly dropped his hand and stepped back. "Hurry up and get dressed."

And then he was gone, the door closing behind him. Teru blinked at his weird behavior, but quickly turned back to the mirror and touched a finger to her shoulder.

She had marks everywhere. Every. Where.

She took off the silky nightgown her friends had given her and turned slowly in front of the bathroom's floor-length mirror. Her skin was so pale that it showed every small blemish: every hickey, the faint hint of a bite, the red blush left from his evening whiskers. And even, she turned around and touched the small circles that ran from her cheeks to the back of her thighs, yup, marks from his tight grip.

She rested one hand on the mirror and the other on a sensitive strawberry mark on her breast as she tried to catch her breath. When she closed her eyes she could almost remember how she got each and every one. But this wasn't good, she told herself. "It sounds like he's really hungry."

She'd just make sure to wear something that covered up the marks.

And that's why she was currently clinging to the doorframe. There wasn't one outfit that didn't show at least ten different love marks! Tasuku had come back in and seen her fully dressed and fiddling with her collar and had promptly dragged her to the door. But she felt too self-conscious. Everybody was going to know what they'd been doing!

She managed to her elbow around the frame. "Why can't we stay!" She grunted with her efforts "They serve breakfast here. Let's stay here."

Tasuku abruptly let go of her and she sighed with relief only to let out a squeak when he simply picked her up. This effectively broke her grip and he shut the door despite her last mad lunge. "We just can't stay! Okay? You got a problem with that!"

Teru stopped struggling at his yelled words and looked up at his face as he stomped down the hallway with her in his arms. That's when she noticed his red cheeks and the way he still averted his gaze. She tugged her collar higher up her neck and nodded hello as they passed another couple in the hallway. "Okay, fine." She waited until he set her down by the car, staying still as he opened her door like a perfect gentlemen (though she knew better), then she ran for it.

Tasuku cursed as she ran to the other side of the car. He started around towards her only to have her mirror his movements. "What the hell are you doing?"

She ran to the back of the Jeep as he came around the hood. "What's wrong with you today?"

He feinted and went the other way, but she was wily and scrambled to keep the distance. "You just left nail marks in our doorway, I had to carry you outside, and you're asking _me_ what's wrong?"

She covered her neck with her hand. "I'll tell you if you tell me." She bit her lip and spoke her secret fear. "Did...did I do something wrong?" She shrieked as he suddenly ducked beyond her view. She twisted this way and that, trying to listen for his footsteps then shrieked as he suddenly appeared, trapping her against the side of the car. "Tasuku what...?" her words died away as he kissed her.

He kissed her softly, savoring the taste of her, much like he had with that first kiss at the ferris wheel. He hands fisted against the car on either side of her as she raised up on her toes and her arms started to slide around her neck. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers for a moment before looking her in the eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Ah, hell. He shouldn't have kissed her. Now she looked all dazed and soft and sexy even as her brows furrowed. "For what?"

He grimaced and pet her hair with gentle hands. "I woke up when moved away this morning and I saw you." He winced again. "I knew we did too much, too soon. I'm supposed to take care of you better than that. I'm sorry."

Teru's frown gave way to a perplexed smile as she cupped his face between her hands. She thought of her varied, but temporary marks and shook her head. "It's not that bad. They don't hurt."

Now it was his turn to frown. "Bullshit. You all but crawled to the bathroom and you whispered 'ow, ow, ow, ow' the whole way." He paused for a moment as they stared at each other, obviously confused. "Wait. What are you talking about?"

Teru blushed and looked around the parking lot then pulled her collar wide. For one brief, beautiful moment he thought she was flashing him, then she whispered, "I'm covered in marks and I don't have anything that covers them all up. I thought about bandaids but there weren't enough in the room." She swatted his chest when he snorted. "It's not funny. Everybody's going to see and they're going to know what we were doing!"

"Good." Teru found herself pressed against car even more firmly as Tasuku grinned lecherously down at her blushing face. "I was thinking of writing, 'I belong to Kurosaki Tasuku' on your forehead while you slept, but this is even better."

"It is not, you perv," she giggled as she tried to get out from between him and the car. "Why is that such a big deal to guys anyway?"

"Hey now, I'll let you write your name on me, too. But I'm all set. Look." He pulled his collar aside and she turned bright red at the very clear bruise that her tiny little teeth had made on his shoulder. He tugged it back. "I can go see if I have a shirt that can show that off if it will make it better."

"No, no, no, no, no." Her hands covered her face for a second as she fought the heat and the dizzy feeling that seeing her own mark on is body evoked. She dropped her hands as Tasuku opened the door beside her and reached in, all while still keeping her hemmed in.

"There." He wrapped his long black scarf around and around until it covered her nose. "Feel better now?" He grinned at her blushing and muffled 'yes'.

She poked him in the chest and tugged at the scarf. "Your turn."

"Ah. Ha. Well," he rubbed at the back of his neck and looked so cute and embarrassed that she wanted to drag him down by his ears and kiss him. "You were so sore and still this morning and I should have taken better care of you. You are new at this, after all. At first I just felt guilty."

"But it seems like you're avoiding me," she poked him again then looked down and began to arrange the scarf in a more girly way. "And it doesn't explain why we couldn't stay here."

He didn't answer right away, but she was so busy with the scarf that she didn't notice until he took a hold of her wrist. She looked up at him at that. "Tasuku," she whispered. He was watching her with the same intensity and…and _need_ that he'd shown several times yesterday.

"We can't stay here because I don't trust myself." He pressed into her and her breath caught at the feel of his hardened body. "I thought I wanted you before, but that is nothing compared to now. Now that I know what we've been missing. What we're together." His hand slid up her wrist until he could tangle their fingers together. "And you're so very responsive." He bent his head to whisper the rest against her ear. "I could make you forget any discomfort or pain until you were _begging_ me."

"Even as you were crawling off the futon I wanted to drag you back and make sure it was as perfect as I remembered." He kissed the faint bruise he'd left on her earlobe the night before and closed his eyes as he felt her whole body shiver. "And then you opened the bathroom door in that tiny scrap of clothing and I had to look away before I tackled you right there on the bathroom floor."

He finished his explanation with a quick kiss, manfully ignoring her panting breath and wide eyes. He stood up abruptly and stepped back to open the driver's side door. "And that," he said in a normal tone once more, "is why we have to go get breakfast and be annoying tourists. Now come on."

Teru leaned against the Jeep and watched Tasuku get in and close the door. She stood there until her breathing returned to normal and she was sure her knees would hold her, then she walked around to the passenger seat and got in. She adjusted her seatbelt and her newly-acquired scarf while he started the car, then she held out her hand until he took it. She smiled over at him then, as they pulled out into the woods and squeezed his hand until he was grinning back at her. "Okay. Let's go be tourists." She cleared her throat as she thought of the aspirin he'd given her and the ointment she'd already used this morning. "And thank you."

"You're welcome."


	45. Chapter 45

Teru peeked up at Tasuku as they left the restaurant. He'd griped and fussed when she told him that she wanted to go to Joyfulls, complaining that the cheap (but admittedly delicious) family-style restaurant hardly fit the occasion.

She'd blushed to the roots of her hair because he'd smirked when he said 'occasion'. It didn't matter (and it didn't help) that he'd followed it up with a sweet, soft kiss.

He'd gone along though, and had kept up his grumpy stance until their food had come. Then she'd touched her foot to his leg and shyly told him that the oyakudon he made was better. He'd sputtered for a brief second and then grinned, trapping her legs beneath the table with his and replying that her eggs over hamburger was 100x better. They'd spent a silly, smiling, blushing five minutes praising each other's various dishes before the waitress interrupted them with more drinks. Her knowing smile had made Teru hide her behind her hands, but Tasuku just smiled back and thanked her for her service before digging into his meal once more.

"So? What do you want to do today?" Tasuku asked, continuing the conversation they'd had in the restaurant. He glanced over at Teru and took her hand, aware that she'd been either sneaking peeks at him or outright staring at him when he wasn't looking. She really needed to stop doing that; with her eyes all soft and the way she nibbled unconsciously on her bottom lip as she looked at him. He was reaching his limit and they'd only just finished breakfast! "Where do you want to go?"

Back to the inn, is what she wanted to say, but she couldn't say that? Right? She wanted to be alone with him. She wanted to talk to him. Laugh with him. And she knew she could do all of those things while they were out, but...she also wanted to touch him. She closed her eyes for a moment and relished the feel of his hand clasping hers. But he'd literally carried her out of the inn this morning. If she asked that he'd probably think she was lewd.

She blushed and looked at anywhere but him as she got into the car. She was, wasn't she? She was a horrible, shameless, lewd girl. Everything he'd done in the restaurant had reminded her of last night. He'd made a satisfied sound in his chest as he'd downed his first cup of coffee and her head had snapped up, recalling all the times he'd made the same noise against her skin. He'd swirled his chopsticks through his miso soup and her mind went straight to the same pattern he'd drawn on her...using his tongue. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head to stop her thoughts from going down that road once again.

"Teru. Oi!"

Teru jumped as Tasuku waved his hand in front of her face. "Huh?" She looked over at him guiltily, realizing that he'd said her name a few times while she'd spaced out. "Sorry. What?"

His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. The way she blushed made him want to attack her right here in the car. "The animal park, the haunted rock, or the black eggs?" He asked, referring to the three choices they'd narrowed it down to in the restaurant. "But there's no way in hell I'm eating black eggs, so the zoo or the rock?" He started the car and looked out the window as a means of distracting himself. "Choose or I'm just gonna pick one."

He sounded so grumpy. Did he think she was ignoring him? Did he not want to go to either of those places? She reached out and fiddled the edge of his shirt where it lay against his jeans. "We can visit a zoo anywhere," she reasoned shyly. "Can we go to Sesshoseki Rock?" she said, speaking of the local stone which had reportedly been used to seal an evil nine-tailed fox at one point in history.

The way she sat there, so prim and proper while she traced the pattern on his shirt, not in attempt to flirt, he knew, but absently as a means to calm her nerves.

That was all he could take.

"Yeah. Okay. Sure." Teru jumped when Tasuku suddenly turned off the ignition and put his hand over hers, trapping it against his thigh. "But first…," He reached out and grabbed a hold of the scarf she had wrapped around her neck and yanked her forward into a hungry, devouring kiss.

Her gasp at the abrupt move quickly changed to a whimper. She'd wanted to kiss him like this all morning. She tried to turn more towards him and found herself trapped in place by the seat belt. She blindly reached to undo it, but Tasuku took a hold of her hand, linking their fingers together as he slowly gentled the kiss. His first kiss had made her want to wrap her arms around him, but this sweet, persistent, soft kiss, she found, simply melted her bones until she slumped weakly in her seat.

Tasuku lifted his head with a shaky sigh, then lifted both of her hands to his mouth before he set the limp things back on her lap. Breath hitching, they stared at each other until Teru sighed.

His name.

"Okay! Haunted rock it is." He said overly brightly, facing the windshield abruptly and turning the ignition on so fast that he stalled the car. Twice. He got it on the third try and manfully ignored the giggles coming from the passenger seat. Until the snorting started. "Shaddup, you."

That just made her laugh harder and suddenly he was laughing, too. They pulled out of the driveway holding hands as they headed towards the mountains.

A few hours later they were back in Nasu. "Damn tourist traps," Tasuku said, still complaining about Sesshoseki as he paid for their ice cream. "Demon rock, my ass." He held her treat above her head just out of her reach. "And you can stop giggling or I'm going to eat yours to teach you a lesson."

Teru purposefully straightened her face and then bowed. "Please forgive me, o' wise and handsome Master Kurosaki. I didn't think you'd be so surprised." She straightened back up and reached again for her ice cream. "Or squeal that loud."

"I did not squeal." He scowled even more and held it even higher. "I yelled. There's a difference."

They had walked hand-in-hand along the long wooden walkways that bisected the rocky hills at Sesshoseki, admiring the small Shinto statues in their red caps and wondering at the age of the old wooden sign posts. They had just read the story of how the evil nine-tailed vixen had wreaked havoc in China and India before it had made its way to Japan where she'd tried to topple the emperor before being driven off and finally defeated here in the mountains. The story then explained that the rock that it transformed into was famous for exuding poisonous gas and killing random passer-byers.

Tasuku had read it out loud, scoffing all the while and had told her all about poison gas and hydrothermals in volcanic areas... but his hand had squeezed hers until she'd had to bite back a yelp.

Which of course meant that she had to sneak up behind him as they were looking at the rock with its sacred _shimenawa_ rope and the zig-zagged _shide_ paper that encircled it, and yell, "Tasuku! I see the smoke! It's the demon!"

Teru braced a hand on his chest as she stood on her toes and strained for her ice cream. "Does it matter? I was the only other one there." She gave a little hop as he held it even higher. "And I thought it was sweet how you picked me up and started running."

"Where you did actually squeal. And loudly." He lowered the dessert until she almost had it and then jerked it up again. "I'll forgive you if you tell me you love me."

She smiled. That was no hardship. "I love you."

He smiled back at her and lowered his head until they were nearly nose to nose. "Whispering doesn't count," he whispered.

She blushed and glanced at the crowds surrounding before clearing her throat. "I love you," she said again in her normal tone.

He straightened up and gave her a regal nod. "Then I forgive you."

She stepped back and held out her hand for her cup of ice cream. After a few seconds she stamped her foot when the treat stayed a few feet above her head. "Hey! You said you forgave me!"

"Oh. Well." He shrugged. "I forgive you for the scare. But you'll have give me a kiss if you want the ice cream."

"You are a bully." Teru covered her red cheeks with her hands and stared up at her smirking fiancé as her mind immediately went to the kinds of kisses they'd shared the past few days.

"Never forget that Master Kurosaki is the ultimate brute," he reminded her with a smirk. "And your ice cream's melting."

She stared up at him. They'd only ever kissed in private or when they were alone. Whenever someone had been coming they'd both jump apart and furiously pretend to be busy with something else. They didn't even usually kiss in front of their friends!

She could feel something change inside herself as she silently watched him openly tease her by eating his own cone in front of her, making yummy sounds while still holding her cup out of reach.

This trip wasn't only just about her graduating, it was a giant announcement to the world that they were together. She wasn't a little girl and he wasn't a lolicon to be mocked and shamed by society.

They were a couple.

They were engaged.

He was hers, darn it, and she was allowed to kiss him.

Tasuku knew he shouldn't tease her like this, but he loved seeing her blush and her cheeks puff out in consternation. He was surprised that she hadn't told him to 'go bald' yet. He finally took pity on her since she just stood there, staring up at him. "Tch. Fine." He leaned down and turned his cheek, missing the movement as she reached for his collar. "I'll take it here, but you owe me onemph!"

Teru could feel his surprise, but she kept a tight hold of his shirt, keeping him bent towards her as she gave him chaste, long, slow kiss in front of the entire town.

At first she just wanted to convey her feelings, her love for him and her gratitude at his perseverance and patience, but as his arm came around her, pulling her close as he kissed her back with the same intensity, she could feel same sentiments from him. Her hands move from his collar to the sides of his face. The could feel the same love and the near-awe that they were together like this.

"Teru." Tasuku whispered her name as she finally broke the kiss, his eyes shut tight against the emotion clogging his throat. She didn't respond, but instead dropped her hands and wrapped her arms around him, hiding her face against his chest.

"C...can I have my ice cream now?" She tried, but she couldn't keep her voice from shaking.

He snorted and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "Uh, no."

She tipped her chin up and scowled from a face that was still cherry red. "What? Why not!"

Tasuku grinned and pointed to the ground where her dessert lay upside-down. "Because you made me drop it."

Teru opened her mouth to deny it, then shut it as she recalled his enthusiastic response. She rubbed her face against his shirt in affection...and to cover her embarrassment. "Maybe we can share yours."

"Can't do that either."

"Tch." She pinched his side. "Don't be so greed...!"

She vaguely heard his cone hit the pavement with a splat, but she was too busy simply holding onto him to care. He held her face between both his hands and rubbed his lips against hers slowly, as though he was savoring the feel of her.

Teru grabbed a hold of his wrists as he lifted his head, but he only changed the angle before kissing her again, his hands tilting her head to his pleasure. He wasn't kissing her deeply, it was just his lips on hers in a kiss that spoke more about love than about passion, though god knew that was there too. She could hear her own breath rushing in and out whenever he gave her a moment to breath. "Tasuku." He pulled back to gently nip at her lip and she felt her head start to swim. "I - I'm going to fall down," she told him in a reed-thin voice.

"Okay." He took a deep, shuddering breath and rested his forehead on hers. "Okay." He wrapped his arms around her again and held her close as he ran a soothing hand down her back. It took a couple of minutes for his heart to slow back down and for her to relax naturally in his arms once more. When she did, he ran a hand under her hair and against her neck, pulling it free from the scarf to lay down her shoulders.

Teru sighed. She loved it when he did that.

"You know," he told her with a sly grin when he finally stepped back and bent down to pick up their litter. "it looks like we still need to work on your endurance with this sort of thing."

She sputtered and pulled the scarf up over her nose. "Well, maybe you should work on going bald."

"Are you sure?" He smiled and reached for her scarf, laughing as she jerked back and batted at his hands. "I think we'll both enjoy your working on your…"

"I saw the whole thing," an old and quavering voice interrupted from beside his elbow.

They both turned and looked down to find the elderly woman who had sold them their ice cream standing there. Grinning at them.

She patted Tasuku's arm and winked at Teru. "I remember when I could make all the boys drop things. Good times. Good times."

"And how long ago was that, Ma'am?"

Embarrassed that someone had indeed been watching, but wary of Tasuku's tone, she pinched him in a silent reprimand to be nice. "Can we help you, Grandmother?"

She shook her head. "I just wanted to offer you a replacement for your treats, since the boy here was so clumsy with them. But first," she waved a hand towards one of the side streets, "did you know that some fella is following you around and taking pictures?"

"What?!" they both said, turning around to where she pointed.

"Yup." She nodded. "Had a real fancy camera with one of those zoom things, lens, on it. He's been about a building behind you the whole time I've seen you and he went crazy with the thing when she up and kissed you in front of God and everybody."

Tasuku grabbed Teru by her shoulders, all of the perilous adventures they'd been through close to a year ago racing through his head. "Teru, stay here. I'll be right back!"

The shopkeeper patted a stunned Teru's shoulder as Tasuku took off running. "Good man. I hope he teaches that fella a few lessons about privacy. Now," she patted her shoulder again and pointed towards a nearby fountain. "You go have a seat over there and you two come get some more ice cream from me when he's done."

"Yes, Grandmother," was Teru's weak reply.

There wasn't someone after them again, was there? As far as everyone knew everything concerning M's testament, Anthra, and her brother was all resolved with no more mysteries to be found.

Right?

She pulled out her phone just in case she needed to call anyone for backup and that's when she noticed the blinking light indicating a message. She hadn't even thought of looking at her phone for two whole days. She was lucky the thing was still charged! She flipped it open, her heart thudding hard when she noticed the message was from Riko. Maybe there was some new threat and they were trying to get a hold of them.

She braced herself and clicked on the message.

_Hi Teru! I hope you two are having a good trip. I hate to interrupt you in any way, but I wanted to let you know that someone from the Tamane Marriage Service is there in Nasu and has been taking pictures of you two as you play tourist. They have a picture of you two 'playing' on a bridge on their website as an advertisement for their business. Andy's taking care of it here on this end, but we just saw it, so the person with the camera is probably still there. Keep an eye out and don't do anything you wouldn't want plastered all over a website;-)_

Teru closed her phone with a snap and dropped her head to her knees with a groan. How was it possible to feel both relieved and mortified at the same time? She knew exactly what this was about. Madam Tamane had told them that they would be required to take pictures during significant 'couple' events. She'd been there at her birthday/engagement party with a camera and she was pretty sure she'd seen her assistant at her graduation. But this? Their first trip as a couple? How did they even know about this and didn't they have to get permission or something? What else had he taken pictures of? Was he at the inn? She sat back up and opened her phone. She had to call Tasuku and let him know what was going on.

"Hey there."

Preoccupied, Teru gave a cursory glance at the young man who'd sat down beside her before looking back at her phone. "Hello." A moment later she had to stop herself from chucking the contraption in the fountain as the battery gave out with a 'blip'.

She started to get up to go find Tasuku when a hand covered hers. She blinked in surprise and focused once again on the smiling man beside her. "Can I help you?"

"Nah." He lifted his hand off of hers and ran a finger across the back of her hand, making her jerk it back. "I was just wondering what a pretty girl like you was doing here all alone." He nodded towards a group of other guys, all of whom were grinning and giving him the thumbs-up. "My name's Hasegawa. My friends and I are on break from university this week. Do you want to hang with us?" He leaned in even closer and gave her what she knew was supposed to be a come-hither look. "Or maybe just me?"

She wanted to roll her eyes so very, very badly. But she didn't. The guy was in a yukata, meaning he was staying at one of the local onsens. He also smelled faintly of sake, which probably meant that he and his buddies were here to party for a few days while on break. "Thank you," she scooted a little farther away on the seat, but her just edged along with her. "But no. I'm waiting for my fiancé." For good measure she wiggled her engagement ring in between them.

"Right," he snorted. "Your 'fiancé'." His use of air quotes did nothing but annoy her. "You don't have to lie like that. I'm a nice guy. Walk around with us." He held up the milkshake in his hand and gave it a little shake. "I'll even treat you."

She didn't have time for this. Time to bring out the big guns and end this quickly. "No, thank you. I really have a fiancé, see?" She pulled back the scarf for a moment and flashed him a view of the hickies on her neck. "And now I'm going to go find him. Excuse me."

She started to get up again, but this time he grabbed her arm and his grin wasn't so friendly.

"So you're that kind of girl," he leered as he squinted at her neck. "I don't dislike girls like you, you know."

Now she did roll her eyes as she opened her mouth to blast him.

"Damn nosy-ass bastards," Tasuku muttered as he stomped his way back to Teru. He'd found the guy right off, but the jackass had made him and ran like a rabbit down another street. He'd finally caught up to him in an dead-end alley and that's when he'd recognized him as Ueda, the assistant from the Tamane agency. Turns out that Akira had unwittingly ratted them out when they'd called the Flower Shop looking for either Kurosaki or Teru. The agency had seen it as an excellent opportunity to get some candid photos of the happy couple for the their website.

A few vile threats and warnings later and Tasuku had all of his SD cards and had checked (and deleted) the physical memory of both the man's camera and cell phone. He scowled at the memory sticks in his hands and then perked up. There were probably some pretty good shots of that kiss she'd given him. He stuffed them in his pocket. He wouldn't mind having a picture of that to keep.

Maybe in the daisy memory box that Teru had given to him.

God, Teru was going to be elated that they weren't being stalked by a terrorist organization and then she'd be mortified that the agency was taking pictures of them for public consumption. He winced a little and realized that he hadn't grilled Ueda as to how long he'd been following them and if he'd already shared some photos. He sighed and shook his head. He wasn't going to worry about it right now. He'd just shoot Andy a text to check the agency's site. He gritted his teeth. He'd also text Boss and have him beat a little discretion into Akira.

He was figuring out how to tell Teru when he came back to the ice cream shop. He frowned when she wasn't standing right where he left her, then he noticed the shopkeepers frantic gesturing towards the fountain.

"Goddammit!"

Teru hung on to the bench with one arm while the obnoxiously tipsy college student tugged on the other. "Look! My friends are heading to the next place. Come with us."

She tried kicking at his leg, but he was surprisingly spry and dodged her attack. "No! Let go of me or I'm going to punch you in the face!"

"C'mon. Don't say unnecessary things." He reached out and tried to pry her hand off the bench. "You'll have a good time, I promi - shit!"

Teru blinked and looked up at Tasuku, then down on the ground where he had Hasegawa's arm twisted behind him and his body pinned to the cobblestones with his foot.

Tasuku was now covered in the guy's milkshake, but he ignored it and scowled down at the whimpering man. "She told you she had a fiancé, right? Right?" The quick affirmative had him letting go of his arm, but then he squatted down and jerked up the guy's head by his hair. "Hitting on girls is all fine and good," he told him in a cold, calm voice that made Teru flinch in sympathy for the idiot. "But if a girl tells you 'no'," he jerked on his hair in emphasis and had him yelping. "then you fuck off and find another girl. Got it?"

"I got it! I got it! Sorry, man!"

"Don't tell me." He stood up, keeping a grip on his hair until the moron was kneeling in front of Teru, then he let go and casually brushed off the hair still clinging to his fingers. "Tell her."

Hasegawa touched his head to the ground so fast that Teru had to jerk her feet out of the way. "Please forgive me!"

"I forgive you." She cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her dignity then folded her hands in her lap. "Now please go away."

He didn't have to be told twice. He scurried away after his friends, leaving an awkward silence in his wake. Teru fiddled with her fingers for a moment before looking up sheepishly at Tasuku. "Um, thank you."

He just shook his head as he stared at her. "Seriously, I've been gone for less than ten minutes," he scolded as he held out a hand and pulled her up off the bench. He started to hug her, then cursed as he realized his front was covered in the asshole's milkshake. He was pretty sure there was some in his hair, too. "That dumbass." He ran hand down her hair instead and kissed her forehead. "Are you okay? I heard you say it, but why didn't you just punch him in the face? Or the nuts?" He looked down at the top of her head as she sighed wearily and brushed some of the dessert off of his shirt. "You were at the perfect height for it, too."

"Because he was just a drunk idiot. Besides," she shrugged and took out her handkerchief, reaching up to wipe at his face, "I knew you'd be back any minute, so I just had to stall him."

Her trust in him made him feel ten feet tall, but… "Okay, we seriously need to get you started on those jujitsu lessons." He took her hand and started walking towards the ice cream stand. "God only knows what's going to happen to you on a college campus."

"This is not my fault," she stressed, indignant.

He snorted and stopped in his tracks before flicking her forehead.

"Hey!"

He kept a hold of her hand in one of his, but he used the other one to point a finger in her face. "You're sweet, smart," he gave a little jab with each word, " gorgeous, and funny," he said almost angrily. "You think guys aren't going to flock around and try to latch onto you like damn love-sick puppies? Ha!" He started walking again, fast steps so that she almost had to jog to keep up. "Maybe I should just put that tracking device and the panic button back on your phone," he muttered.

Teru wanted to cry with joy at his grumpy, matter-of-fact recitation. "I promise I'll punch next time."

"Do that," he groused, but he absentmindedly kissed her hand as he did so. He scowled down at his shirt as they got back in line. "We'll have to go back to the inn for now, but let's get that damn ice cream first and then I'll tell you what happened with the camera guy."

She leaned her head against his arm and closed her eyes, relishing this moment with her bad-tempered knight in dairy-covered armor. "Sounds good."


	46. Chapter 46

Teru tried to listen to Tasuku as he talked beside her in the car about their day so far, the various interlopers, and other places they could visit in the days they had left. She was really trying, but it wasn't working. She kept getting distracted by his hands, his fingers flexing on the wheel as he drove. His voice was an issue too; the deep timber seemed to play over her skin almost like his hands had done the day before. And the smell of him in the close confines of the car… She closed her eyes and took a slow breath, clasping her hands together hard in her lap as she fought the urge to touch him.

"Hey." A warm hand covered her knotted hands and she opened her eyes to look at Tasuku. She blinked in surprise, realizing that they were nearly back at the inn. "Don't worry." He patted her hands reassuringly. "I'll make sure that they don't use any pictures from here on out without express written permission, alright?"

Awwww, he was so sweet. He thought she was worried about the paparazzi-like habits of the Tamane service. She wasn't worried at all. She knew that both he and the others would take care of it.

She nodded and he gave her one more squeeze before pulling into a space. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss before he opened his door and got out, pulling his shirt away from his skin. "Shit." He stood up and scowled down at his front. "That shake went everywhere. Damn kid."

Teru wordlessly watched him shrug out of the jacket he'd worn in concession to the chilly mountain air, her mouth going dry at the subtle play of muscles she could see through his shirt. She blinked at him as he stuck his head back inside the car and raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

He frowned in obvious worry, but asked again. "Do you want to go eat lunch somewhere or eat here?" He glanced at the watch on his arm. "Although it might be a little late for lunch."

She cleared her throat and opened her door. "Let's eat here." She felt like her voice was shaking. Was her voice shaking?. Her hands certainly were. She closed the car door and smoothed her hands down her front as she tried to breathe away the buzzing in her ears.

Okay. She needed to calm down. So he was going to take a shower. Big deal. But, she could help, right? She could wash him like he had her. It was her turn, right? She could run soapy hands through his hair and over those wide, strong shoulders and then down to…

"Hey!"

"Wah!" She jumped as he waved a hand in her face. "Sorry! Sorry, what?"

He took her chin in his hands and scowled down at her red face. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," she answered in a small voice. She wanted to tackle him right there, but she didn't know how to go about that or what his reaction would be. Could she just tell him that she wanted to touch him? That she wanted to do what they did yesterday? How on earth did they talk about this?

He gave a disbelieving grunt and ran a hand down her hair, then leaned down for one more quick kiss. He turned away quickly, missing the catch in her breath and the way she raised on her toes in an attempt to prolong the contact. He took her hand and started towards the entrance. "Maybe it's time for another one of those stress relief baths. I'll ask if they can add the stuff to the onsen in our room after I take a shower."

Teru knew that she made kind of assenting noise, but she distracted, suddenly remembering a conversation that she and her friends had accidentally had with a drunk Riko a few months ago.

Kako, Haruka and Rena had been in her room and a frustrated Kako had asked Rena for seduction tips, since she and Ken had only gone as far as kissing. Rena had regaled them all with tips on lighting, makeup, and even food. She'd just gotten to clothing when an obviously tipsy Riko, just home from an after-work drinking party had stuck her head in the door, one eye closed to better focus on them all.

"Hi. I heard everything." She hiccuped, giving them a thumbs up. "Just get naked," she'd told them simply. "It works everytime. Okay. Goodnight." And with one hand over her mouth, she'd closed the door and gone to go throw up.

Tasuku opened their door and touched her hair once again as she went in before him. "So what do you want? Eat here or the restaurant?" He dropped his jacket in the clothes basket and was reaching for the menu when Teru all but yelled, "You should take a shower!"

He turned towards her in surprise and found her backed up against the door, her face red as she bit her lip in an obvious show of nerves. She had been acting so oddly since they got back in the car, but he didn't want to push her. It had been a good day, but a weird last hour. He lifted his shirt to his nose for a quick sniff. Was the milk in the shake already starting to go bad? "You're right." He turned towards the restroom, pulling his shirt over his head as he went. "If you want to eat in the room order me the sushi…"

He trailed off at the sound behind him and slowly turned around.

Teru knew she was bright red, but she kept her eyes on his as she dropped her bra on the floor beside her shirt. She watched his adam's apple bob as her trembling hands undid her skirt. "I...I'll help." She stuttered. "With the shower."

It was ridiculous to still be shy, she told herself, especially after everything they'd done so far, but she couldn't help it. The room was bright with daylight and she'd never actually gone from fully clothed to naked in front of him. But she wanted to, especially when he looked at her like that, so she pushed her skirt and underwear down her legs in one movement and stepped out of them.

She stood up straight, her hands clasped in front of her as Tasuku stood rooted in place, his shirt clenched in his hand. That bloodless fist and the rapid rise and fall of his chest gave her courage. She walked to him, fighting the urge to cover herself up, then reached up and touched his hair. "I'll wash your hair."

Her light touch, her whispered words, but mainly the dream-come-true vision of a stripping naked Teru had every muscle in his body locked in a conscious effort not to pin her against the wall and fuck them both stupid. But look at her, he thought through a red haze of lust, she was shaking with nerves as she tried her best in this new aspect of their relationship. He had to be considerate. In control.

Even if it killed him.

He didn't even dare kiss her, so he just nodded then took her hand and led her into the bathroom.

She watched him with unconsciously hungry eyes as he rid himself of the rest of his clothes. Everything about him made her feel hot and achy. She still felt nervous and kind of embarrassed, but neither of those feelings stopped her from wanting to touch and explore. Her breath hitched and she could feel her fingertips tingle as he turned towards her, his arousal dark and heavy between his legs. With one hand pressed to her stomach, she turned on the shower, then gestured for him to sit. "You'll have to use the stool so I can reach. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," he agreed huskily and sat down. "Wait, wait!" He held up a hand when she reached for him, then wheezed out a laugh as she seemed to freeze in place. "Holy shit, I've got to brace myself. This going to kill me." He rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes as he took some deep breaths, then rested his arms on his knees. "Okay. Go for it."

It didn't bother him at all, it seemed, for him to show what her touch did to him. His words and his shaky tone emboldened her to move up behind him. She could at least give him the words, too. "I've always wanted to do this," she sighed as she wet his hair and lathered up her hands. "And even before we got back into the car I was mentally thanking that guy for getting his shake on you, because that meant I got to wash you. And...and then all I could think about in the car was being in the shower with you. Getting to touch you." She hummed in pleasure as her fingers tunneled through his blonde strands. "I really love your hair."

Tasuku squeezed his eyes shut a little harder as he thought back to how she'd acted in the car. He'd thought that she was worried about their little encounter, but no, she'd been...turned on. Aroused. He could see it now when he thought back; the spaciness, the red face, the faint tremors in her hands when he'd covered hers with his. And then the look on her face as she'd taken off her clothes in front of him.

And now the way she touched him. She may have just been washing his hair, but he could feel her nerves falling away as her touch grew bolder, her hands slowing down as her movements became unconsciously sensuous. He groaned as her fingernails raked down his scalp to his neck, then slid up to rub behind his ears.

"That stuff really did get everywhere. There's even some here." One finger traced the rim and ended at the lobe with a soft tug.

"Oh god! Okay, okay," he sucked in a breath turned to look at her over his shoulder. Her breathing wasn't much better than his and her eyes were heavy as they met his. "Teru, I've gotta know, are you sore? I mean, too sore for me?"

She shook her head mutely, her eyes wide at the look in his eyes.

"And you, right now…," he paused as he willed himself under control. "I might not be patient enough… I might attack you," he told her bluntly, looking away as the sight of her wet and naked further shook his control. He fisted a hand around the base of his erection. "If that happens - if I scare you or if I move too fast- just tell me to stop. Okay?"

"Okay." Teru whispered as all of the shower scenarios she'd pictured in the car went through her mind. She wouldn't mind at all if he 'attacked' her. "Close your eyes." She ran her hand through his hair again as she rinsed out the soap, memorizing the shape of his head with her fingers until all the soap was gone. She picked up the loofah with trembling hands. "I'm going to wash you, too. Is that okay?"

She took his shaky groan as assent and ran the sponge across his shoulders and upper back. She followed the line of suds with her bare hand and bit back a sound of her own. She moved to his side, her voice breathy as she poked him in the shoulder. "Raise your arm." The muscles in her stomach clenched along with those in his upper arm as he obeyed.

"You look so amazing." She murmured in awe. "I can't get over it. I mean, look at this."

Oh, fuck me. He shot her a slant-eyed look as her hand curled over his bicep and squeezed. He closed his eyes again as she moved to the other side, her hands following each line and bulge across his shoulders as she switched. "Worried I'll get fat once I get a desk job?" He teased in a wheeze.

"Hmm?"

He groaned again at her distracted tone, and at the feel of her hands on his side as she dropped to her knees. Rivulets of soap slid down to the stool as she traced the length of his spine.

Her hands spread out wide on his back and she leaned forward as she slid them up to his shoulders and then down again, lingering on the faint marks she'd left on him the night before. At first she'd just felt contrite at leaving the small hurts, but now…

Teru leaned her forehead against his hot skin. "I wanted to touch you every time you would walk around without a shirt." She wrapped her arms around his chest, her breath catching as her breasts pressed against his back.

She laid a line of soft kisses between his shoulder blades that made lights flash behind his closed lids. "God, Teru. You better…"

Teru slid her hands over his chest as she sat back. "I'm sorry," she whispered with a last kiss to his back. "I forgot. Your chest is still all sticky, isn't it. I should have done that next." She stood up, catching herself on his shoulder as her watery knees protested. She smiled shyly as she moved to his front and knelt at his feet. Once there she gasped at the sight of him grasping the base of his shaft in a seemingly brutal grip. "Why…?" Then his hot and hungry gaze met hers and she heard herself whimper, the look on his face making her achingly aware of a wetness that wasn't part of the shower.

She leaned forward, caught by his stare, but instead he took the hand with the loofah and raised it to his chest.

"First things first." He didn't close his eyes this time, but watched her face, reveling in the play of emotions as she touched him; appreciation, shyness, hunger, and love. He waited until she was rinsing him off before answering his little innocent's unfinished question. "This," he opened his hand then closed it around his girth once more as her hands moved across his chest, sluicing off suds. "Helps slow me down if I get too excited too fast." He reached out his other hand and cupped her face. "Like when the sexiest girl on the planet orders me to shower and then decides to chuck all her clothes right inside the front door."

Teru shivered as his hand moved down from her cheek to trace the curve of her neck. "Well, you might have said 'no'." Her hand spasmed, dropping the loofah as one water-slick finger trailed down her chest, where he rubbed the knuckles around and around her areola before catching her nipple between his fingers and squeezing with gentle pressure. She gasped for breath, opening clenched eyes to realize her hands were now gripping his thighs. She heard his own groan and leaned towards him once more, rising up on her knees to better reach his mouth. "Tasuku."

He dug both hands into her hair as his head lowered to meet hers. "Like hell I'd say no."

Teru opened her mouth in anticipation and was rewarded with the bold thrust of his across hers. Already feeling dizzy, but not wanting to stop, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight as he swept her away.

Tasuku groaned deep in his chest as her action pressed his erection tight between them. His grip changed, one hand fisting in her hair to tilt her head farther back while the other slid down to her ass, pulling her tight close. She responded with wordless sounds of excitement that he knew he'd hear forever more in his dreams.

They pulled apart for breath and she found she couldn't even stand that small separation. His mouth was too far away with her still on her knees so she pressed a kiss against his sternum and followed it with a swipe of her tongue. "Tasuku." Her hands started moving on their own, too, moving from the ridges and planes of his back to the lean lines of his sides. "I love you." She was suddenly frantic to taste all of him. Touch all of him. "I love you so much. Ah!" Her head fell back on her neck as the hand on her butt suddenly slid down without hesitation between her thighs.

She whimpered and gasped as he lowered his head once more, the grip on her hair holding her still for his aggressive kiss. Her head spun, and she cried out against his mouth as he slid two long fingers inside her. Her hands slid back down to his thighs, her fingers digging deep as he kissed her deeply, an open-mouthed duel that had her rubbing against him in an unconscious plea for more.

He broke the kiss with a growl as Teru caught him in a tentative hand and squeezed. "Okay. That's it."

She moaned as he withdrew his hand, then gasped as he wrapped his arms around her and holding her close, stood up.

Teru wanted to giggle as her feet dangled off of the floor, but she didn't have the breath. And the way they were pressed together was so… She slid her hands up along his jaw until she could grab his ears and tug. "Tasuku."

He lowered his head to hers as he took a blind stop forward, intent on finding the nearest wall before his knees gave out, but his foot slipped on the tile. He got out a single curse before they went down.

Teru yelped as Tasuku fell backwards, his arms clamped protectively around her. She winced as she heard his head meet the tiled shower floor. "Oh my gosh!" She scrambled off of him, knowing the weight of her had made him 'oof!' as they'd landed, and quickly knelt by his head. The fact that his eyes were still closed made her flap her hands in panic. "Are you okay?! Are you hurt?" She patted his cheeks then started feeling around his head for an injury. "Talk to me!.

Tasuku peeked open an eye after getting his breath back and grinned. "Do you think you could treat all my injuries topless from now on?"

Teru looked down and realized that her ministrations had her breasts directly in his face. She rolled her eyes and sat back with a sigh of relief, ignoring his plaintive 'aww'. "Are you okay?" She asked again.

"Yeah." He sat up and rubbed a hand over the back of his head. "I didn't hit that hard." He blew out a breath then started laughing. "You know, at home we have those little anti-slip strips. Maybe we should suggest them to management."

"Don't you dare." She laughed along with him ame took his stretched out hand. They pulled each other up and just stood there, arms wrapped around each other as they giggled. "We'll be home in a few days. They don't need to install them for our benefit."

"You're right." He tipped her chin up and grinned down at her before taking her hand and pulling her towards the door. "We'll save the shower sex for our own, safe, non-tiled, anti-slip shower at home." He laughed again at her blush and pulled her into the hallway. "Until then, oh look! Tatami!"

Teru gasped as Tasuku spun around and picked her up. Her legs automatically going around his hips as he backed her up against the nearest wall. "Wait, what…" the rest of the sentence ended in a moan as he pressed her head back in a voracious kiss and rocked his hips against hers.

He slid a hand between them and guided himself to her entrance, groaning along with her as he met her wet heat. "You are so hot." He locked his knees against the rush of sensation and fought the urge to push hard and fast and deep. Over and over and over… "Teru." He ground out from between his teeth. "Tell me if it hurts."

She could barely understand him as she clutched at his shoulders and panted. He was right there, but he wasn't moving. Why wasn't he moving! She couldn't move much, pinned against the wall as she was, so she tightened her legs in a silent bid for him to move. "Tasuku. Daisy. Please." She kissed his neck, his mouth, chest; anything she could reach. "Please."

And move he did. Her head dropped to his chest on a wild moan as he pushed home with one steady thrust. And then he kept moving; answering her gasps and wordless pleas with ever increasing speed. She began to shake, his name a chant on her lips, when his hands slid to her butt and tilted her hips so that he went deeper with every powerful stroke.

Teru almost couldn't stand it, but she didn't ever want it to end. And it wasn't only the way he made her feel. She reveled in dizzying joy at the sounds he made as he moved against her, inside her. The bruising grip of his hands and the way his muscles quivered under her hands and mouth. "Ah!" Her back bowed in shocked pleasure as he pressed her tighter against the wall, his hips circling against hers in a new way that had her crying out in helpless pleasure.

"God, Teru. Yeah. That's it," he panted and gasped as her already tight sheath clamped around him like a fist. He scooped one leg up in the crook of his arm, holding it higher so he could press even deeper as she came apart in his arms. "You're so fucking beautiful, Teru."

His last clear thought was that he could watch her forever, but the feel and the sound of her coming had him crying out her name as she dragged him under along with her.

Tasuku opened his eyes and, after a couple of blinks, squinted up at the ceiling. "Are we on the floor?"

"Mmmm."

He closed his eyes at the non-answer and basked in the feel of Teru against him. No, he peeked down at the top of her head where it lay on his chest, at the feel of a wet, naked, trembling, Teru against him. He rumbled in lazy pleasure then caught his breath when she shifted with a sigh, her still-peaked nipples dragging across his skin. Unbelievably, he felt a twitch from Little Tasuku from where it lay pressed between them. "Uh," he cleared his parched throat and ran a hand down the smooth perfection of her back. "Are you okay?"

"Uh huh. But," she raised a finger without moving any other part of her limp body. "I'm going to fail school."

"Mm-hm...wait." He peered down at her again with a frown. "What?"

Teru sighed in repletion and nuzzled her nose against Tasuku before she propped her chin on her hands and looked up at him. "I'm going to fail school. This," she pressed a kiss to his chest and signed again, "is all I'm going to think about. I know it." She put her hands on his shoulders and pulled, sliding herself up his torso until they were face to face. She closed her eyes and kissed the tip of his nose, missing the look on his face. "I'm going to be late for class," she kissed his chin and his whole body tightened. "and I'm going to make you late for work because we won't be able to get out of bed on time." She pressed her lips against his in a sweet, almost chaste kiss, then she whispered with a smile. "I'm glad we waited. I probably wouldn't have even graduated, let alone passed the entrance exams, if we'd done this before. Right?" She kissed him again softly and then opened her eyes, the teasing smile on her face dropping away at the look on his face. "Tasuku?"

His hands framed her face as he just stared at the love of his life. Was there anything hotter than being told plainly that you were so desired?

Hell no.

"If we hadn't waited," his eyes followed his thumb as it dragged slowly across her lower lip. "I'd have gotten fired from the school for dragging you into every broom closet and empty room in that school." He pulled her close for slow, deep kiss that had her whimpering shifting on his chest. They were both heavy-eyed and breathless when they pulled apart. He moved his hands to her hair and pulled, arching her neck so he could run his tongue along the slender arch. He shivered at the feel of her nails, which dug in when he swirled his tongue right under her jaw. "We have a couple months until school starts. We'll just have to practice our timing." He scraped his teeth lightly along the line of her jaw and shuddered along with her. "Along with other things."

"Okay. Sure."

Her breathy agreement had him rolling over until she was pinned beneath him. He held himself up on his arms as he looked down at her, his eyes moving from her passion-ridden face to her delectable A-cup breasts. He kissed her hands as they slid along his jaw and into his hair. He tilted his head. "The tatami's hard on your back, right?"

What tatami? Who cared?! Her back arched as he lifted one hand off the ground and slid it under her back. "Huh? No."

He dropped his head for a quick kiss that had her reaching out for more when he pulled away. "I think it is. Let's try this."

She gasped as he flipped her over onto her front. She immediately pushed up with her arms, the tatami indeed too rough a texture, especially on her beaded nipples. She gasped again, but this time his name as the hands on her hips slowly lifted her to her knees. Her head dropped forward as he dropped a hot kiss to her back and the hands on her hips slid down to gently knead her ass. "What are you doing?" Her arms trembled as one of his hands travelled even lower and she locked her elbows so she wouldn't collapse face-first into the floor.

He did something wickedly marvelous with his fingertips before he removed his hands, sliding them up her back until could run them down her arms to lay them palm down on the floor besides her. She moaned at the feel of his hard, hot torso against the silken length of hers as well as the insistent press of his penis and it lay against intimately against her wet folds. She jerked as he bit down on her shoulder.

"Other things," Tasuku explained, whispering hotly against her ear.

And then he showed her what he meant.


	47. Chapter 47

The last night of their trip had Teru staring dreamily off into space with a smile on her face as she recalled the past few days at the inn. 'At the inn' was appropriate, she thought with a happy sigh, since she and Tasuku hadn't left the inn to sight-see or explore since the ice cream incident.

They'd talk about going out. They'd spent a lot of time spread out on the tatamis and futons, surrounded by guidebooks and brochures, but once they stepped outside (they made it all the way to the car once) they'd just look at each other and mumble excuses like 'the shrine's been there for a couple of centuries. It's not going anywhere, right?'. Or 'Hey, Tokyo has a zoo. It's probably better than a safari anyway', and then they'd hurry back inside the inn.

The inn really was amazing. They'd tried all of the open onsens once again and Tasuku had even booked them the family onsen and had made her nearly cry with his casual aside about how they should bring their kids back here in the future. They'd also eaten like emperors; both in the restaurant and with the meals they decided to have in their room.

And they had spent a lot of time in the room.

And in their onsen.

And on the futons.

Teru brushed a hand over the tatami, mentally adding it to the tally. She blushed, then put her hands to her cheeks and wondered at the fact that she could still blush after the things they'd done this week. He'd taught her...quite a few things.

She quietly cleared her throat and looked up at Tasuku through her lashes as she reached out her hand and tried one of those 'new things'. "Um, like this?"

Tasuku just smiled and took her hand, brought it up to his lips for a soft kiss, then repositioned it. "Try this."

Teru blinked, bemused by the kiss and his smile, then looked down at her hand. "Oh! Hey! This is a kong, right?"

He laughed as she leaned excitedly over the mahjong tiles spread out on the floor. "Yeah. You're a quick learner, Princess." He tossed a tile in the air as she hitched up her yukata and crawled over a few feet to play the 'West' position. "I never knew you wanted to learn to play mahjong."

"I've wanted to for years, but there was never any time," she replied with a shrug as she studied the tiles. "Whenever you were slacking-off as I slaved away on the school grounds you were either playing it online or reading about it. The first time I cleaned your bathroom I expected to see a bunch of girly magazines, but instead all I found were ones on mahjong!"

She picked up a bamboo tile and rubbed it between her fingers and smiled at him. "But even when you were just the 'annoying janitor' I still loved you, so of course I wanted to know more about your favorite hobby. Ah. This one goes here, right?"

Tasuku rubbed a hand over the glorious ache in his chest that bloomed at her casually put words. "Does this mean you want to learn coding, too?" He chuckled when she pulled a face and wrinkled her nose. "I thought so." He held out a hand as she moved back to his side and used the grip to pull her into his lap so that they both faced the board. "I don't know if I want to teach you everything I know about mahjong."

"What!" Even if he couldn't see her face, he knew she was pouting. "Why not?"

"Because," he played with her ponytail as she leaned forward to move another tile. "You are your brother's sister."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She muttered absentmindedly as she took a moment to consult the mahjong rulebook that had come with the game.

"Riko and I showed Souichirou how to play one weekend when we learned that he'd never played before. I thought I was going to make some easy money. " He scowled at the memory and wrapped one arm around her waist then used the other to pluck the book out of her hands. "That newbie bastard ended up cleaning us both out by the end of the weekend."

"That's not the same thing," she argued around giggles and made a grab for it when he dangled it above her head. "Nii-san was a genius."

He tossed the book across the room and wrapped both arms around her before she could go after it. "Uh huh," he murmured against her hair before he dropped a kiss on it. "And who was first in their class every single year in high school? Who passed _two _university exams on the first try and," He nudged her hair off her neck so he could nuzzle. "Who helped take down international criminals not once, but twice while they were only a second year?"

Teru tilted her head and sighed as the nuzzling turned to kisses. "Well, technically, Anther died on the island and I'm not sure Morizono was internation-"

"Shhh. Don't interrupt when I'm singing your praises." Tasuku whispered in her ear... then bit it. He grinned as she went boneless in his arms. "What are you going to do next? Become a superhero and fight crime in between uni classes while still getting full marks?"

"No." Teru lifted a hand to his cheek and turned her head to kiss him softly. "I'll leave the danger to the professionals." She paused for a second, then shrugged. "Unless you're in danger, of course."

He tightened jealous arms around Teru at the memories of her in danger, kidnapped, injured… never again. "Yeah, fuck that," he ignored her giggle. "Now I'm a faceless, boring, salaryman. One of a hundreds that go in and out of that building every day." He dug his fingers into her ribs. "Stop laughing, you."

She snorted her way to stopping, then took his face in between her hands and stared into his eyes. Her Tasuku would never be one of the crowd. He'd always be someone that people (or in this case, the government) came to when they needed help. When they needed someone who could do the impossible. She turned sideways in his lap and pulled his head down until his forehead was against hers. "I love you."

He could hear the pride in her voice, along with the love, and it humbled him. "I changed my will, you know." He cringed when she went still against him and he felt like kicking his own ass. Why had he brought that up now!? "Um, I mean, I changed it a while back, actually." Years ago. "But if anything does happen, not that it will!" He wanted to stop talking, but mouth wasn't cooperating. "I'm just saying that you'll be taken care of and..."

Teru stopped him by laying one finger gently against his lips. She leaned back with a solemn look on her face and looped her arms around him to keep him close. "It's okay." She gave him a light kiss that eased some of the tension in his shoulders. "I know people our age don't usually talk about stuff like this, but," She thought of her parents who had been lost in a car accident, her brother to cancer, and his dad to murder. "we've both seen enough of death to know it can happen at any time." She put her head against his chest and closed her eyes at the feel and sound of his heartbeat against her cheek. "It just means we recognize the value of the time we have together, be it two years or fifty."

Tasuku ran a shaky hand down Teru's hair as they held each other in silence. He waited until he knew his voice was steady before he spoke again. "Fifty? That sounds a little low."

"Maybe. Medicine is getting better after all. But you know what!?" She turned big, excited eyes up at him, "They have this thing now where you can have your ashes put into a biodegradable urn along with a tree sapling and then you plant the urn and you get to grow into a tree! When I die, I want you to put me with a Japanese mapl-ack!"

Tasuku realized after a moment that he was hugging Teru's head against his chest in a tight grip and that, given the way her arms were flailing, she might not be able to breathe. He loosened his hold until he could hear her sucking in air, but otherwise he didn't let her go.

He couldn't.

He dropped his head so that his cheek rested on the top of her head. "I don't know how Riko stood it." He replayed the countless little interactions that he'd witnessed between the two. Both so happy and in love. Just like him and Teru.

She poked him in the side when he started to squeeze again and was thankful when he changed his grip to around her waist. "Sometimes," she murmured as she petted his chest and shoulders in an effort to ease his tension, "It's _because _someone loved you so much that you can keep going. It's like a backup for when they're not there." She sighed as she felt him relax once more. "Though I'm sure Nii-san wants her to find someone else since he's gone." She paused when Tasuku went tense again. She looked up at him. "What?"

"Um…," Shit. How did someone talk about this? "About that…"

Teru's eyes went huge and she all but bounced up down in his lap, making him wince. "What? Oh my god! Is Riko dating? Does she have a boyfriend!? Is it someone I know!?"

The excitement and happiness in her voice quickly dispelled any worry he'd had about broaching the subject of her late brother's fiancée and dating. "No and no." He tapped a finger on her nose and laughed at her immediate sulk. "I wanted to run this by you first, but there's a man in my office who has been begging me, and I mean begging, to be introduced to Riko." His coworker had seen them together when they'd met for lunch and had ruthlessly grilled him for information like a love-sick teenager when he'd returned to work. Apparently he'd been part of a peripheral team that had worked with hers but he'd never gotten to talk to her.

Teru smiled at his brother-like tone. "And did you do a background check on him?" He'd probably done a more in-depth search than any intelligence agency could've.

"He's clean." He shrugged a shoulder. "No criminal record. His spending habits in college leaned a little towards otaku-status, but his first girlfriend helped clean that right up. He works in financial forensics now but dabbled in psychology in college. Has a nice little nest egg. Oh, and he plays the guitar."

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Is he nice?"

He gave her a look. "That is such a girl question. Seriously, how the hell am I supposed to know that? He's a good worker and I've seen him help out some of his teammates when they've gotten behind." He frowned in thought. "I once saw him take the fall for this skinny intern who'd messed up the mail and therefore a deadline. Man, that kid bought him lunch for a week straight. Anyway, he's not an asshole."

Sounded nice to her. "Maybe you could invite him for drinks at the Flower Garden when we're all there and kind of ease him into her company."

"Or," Tasuku rolled his eyes, "he could be a man and just ask her out."

Teru thought about Riko and nodded. "That could work too." She wanted her friend to be happy. Not that Riko needed a relationship to be happy, but when Teru thought of her own happiness before and after Tasuku, well, she wanted that subtle but important difference for her friend.

She turned in his lap until she was facing him, her legs going over his until she could wrap them around his skinny waist. She grinned as the move pulled at his yukata and exposed more of his chest to her wandering hands. His eyes dropped to her hands, becoming heavy lidded before he slowly raised his eyes to meet hers. Her breathe caught at the look on his face. "How," she swallowed to clear a suddenly dry throat, "how much more time?"

Tasuku glanced at his phone then wove his fingers through Teru's hair, tightening his grip until her head fell back, her eyes closing as he bent his head towards hers. "Fourteen hours, twelve minutes, and thirty-two seconds." He murmured, counting down towards their checkout time in the morning.

He kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, working his way down to her lips, where he paused. In response, she grabbed the edges of his yukata and tugged in impatience, making his lips curve right before they settled over hers in a kiss that promised to make the most of their last night at the inn.


	48. Chapter 48

Teru bowed her head low enough that she wouldn't have to look the inn owner in the eye, which was pretty low given how tiny the woman was. "Thank you very much for letting us impose on your great hospitality."

"So polite!" The lady patted Teru's head and winked at Kurosaki. "It's no great imposition when you don't come out of the room very much. Then we don't have to deal with you."

"_Grandmother!"_

Tasuku fought a grin at embarrassed hiss that came from the lady gathering their luggage and gave his own bow. "Thank you, Madam. We're always happy to help." He grabbed a hold of Teru's shoulders as he straightened them both up and then took her hand. "Everything was wonderful. Thank you."

A few minutes later, Teru turned back around in her seat after waving goodbye to the small group at the inn entrance. "Welp," she sighed. "That's it. We can't go home."

"Because you never want this week to stop?" He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned, then ran his knuckles over the blush that still lingered on her cheeks. "Or because whenever anyone has asked about your stay you stutter, turn ten shades of pink, and look for the nearest exit?"

She shrugged and took a hold of his hand with both of hers. "Can't it be both?"

"I've met your friends," and she pinched his wrist at the look that came with that pronouncement. "The inn owner's comments are nothing compared to the knowing looks and sly comments that are about to rain down on your pretty head. Ow! Stop it! You know I'm right."

"They are not that bad," she argued loyally. Although there was definitely going to be a presentation of red beans and rice somewhere in the next day or two. "Anyway," Teru mumbled, "we've already agreed to what I'll tell them and what I won't."

Since she murmured the last sentence into the window as her ears turned bright red, Tasuku couldn't, in good conscience, leave it alone. "So what you're telling me," he paused for the sheer drama of it and cleared his throat gently, "is that you have an outline." He ignored her gasp and kept his eyes on the mountain roads as she turned to gape at him in embarrassed horror. He shrugged. "It's a good practice to have." He nodded sagely. "You'll need it a lot once you get into the business world."

"I don't have an outline!"

"A checklist then?" He grinned when she dropped his hand in order to cross her arms. He used the opportunity to pat her knee. "So what's on the approved list? You can tell them that two out of the three underwear sets got, uh, destroyed, but you won't tell them how?"

Squirming because that one was a little too close to the truth, she put her hands over her ears. "No! I don't know! Let's stop talking about this!" Her hands moved over her eyes as she took a deep breath and ignored the chortles coming from the driver's seat.

She jumped as he pinched her leg.

"Let's practice a little."

Since he said that as he curled his hand around the inside of her thigh, she squeaked and brought her legs together, trapping his hand. "Practice what!? You're driving?!"

It was probably dangerous to laugh this hard while driving, but he couldn't help it. "I love, LOVE, the way your mind works, but I meant practicing the questions that people are going to ask. And let go of my wrist," he gently squeezed her leg and reveled at the involuntary clenching of her thighs. "I'm just resting my hand above your knee. Sheesh," he shook his head. "Your mind goes right to that, huh?" He winked at her. "Thank god."

She let go of his wrist, but couldn't seem to unclench her legs. "And whose fault is that?" She sniffed, trying for a worldly air. "Every other time you've touched me there this week you've - ..."

"Let's try Riko first." Tasuku broke in swiftly, moving both hands to the wheel as he shifted uncomfortable in his seat. "How was the inn, deary?" He asked in a horrible, old-lady falsetto that would immediately get his teeth kicked in if she ever heard it.

After a quick snort, Teru steepled her fingers under her nose and drew in a breath. "Okay. Okay. The inn was gorgeous. It was set in the woods and had an amazing number of onsen." Good enough, she congratulated herself with a nod.

"And the rooms?" That one was in Boss' deep, calm tones.

Tasuku looked over at her pause and shook a finger. "That look. That one right there, is going to get me punched by at least three people. Now quit picturing me naked and treat it like you're designing a brochure. Repeat after me, 'it was a traditional Japanese room, but it had its own onsen outside'." He shook his head and grinned, delighted with her. "Seriously, the blushing."

Well, she realized nearly an hour later, it looked like everyone was going to have to live with the blushing as she couldn't separate Tasuku out from every inch of their trip. Even the women-only onsen had the memory of Midori-sama and her own youthful tales and womanly advice. And it wasn't just their more intimate moments that brought out the rosy cheeks; it was how he'd made her feel, whether they were looking at flowers in a field or shopping for cheesy souvenirs in town.

Loved.

And she was so in love with him. The memory of that first infatuation with the surly, bad-mouthed janitor as well as the warm, familial love of the once-invisible Daisy seemed so small compared to what she felt now. She smiled as he made a rude gesture to another driver. And he hadn't changed. She'd just learned more about him and all of it just made her love him more. How much more would she love him in the years to come?

She couldn't wait to find out.

"That's right! Drive away before I memorize your plate and delete your license from the database! Asshole," he finished on a mutter, then cleared his throat when he noticed Teru staring at him. "Um, and that's why it's important to use turn signals when driving."

Her giant responding smile had his eyebrow lifting. "You okay?"

"Uh huh." She held out a hand and he took it with a smile, but felt perplexed. He'd been worried the past couple of minutes that he'd teased her a little bit too much about their friends' reactions. They all loved her. It would be funny and fine for a few days and then everything would go back to normal.

For them.

He, on the other hand, got to live forever and ever with the girl of his dreams and the love of his life. Suckers.

"I love you."

The simple sentence had him looking over and the look on her face as she said it again would stay with him as long as the first time he saw her naked.

"I know I've already said it, but this week was perfect. You made it perfect."

He wanted to wipe away the one tear that tracked down her cheek, but she held his hand fast and he had to keep one hand on the wheel.

"So thank you and...," Her eyes trailed over his face once more before she closed her eyes, then lifted their joined hands to her lips where she pressed an achingly tender kiss to the back of his hand. "I just love you."

She faced the road again, still holding his hand, and sighed in sheer contentment… right before she slapped a hand to the dash as Tasuku crossed three lanes of traffic in a few feet to make an exit ramp. "What the…?"

"Yeah. Sorry," his face and tone serious, "but we need to stop for a few minutes."

"Oh." She grabbed her purse and started to rummage through it as he parked in the side lot of a 7-11. "Is your stomach upset? I have some, some … what are you doing?"

He finished unbuckling her belt and moving both their seats back, then he took her purse and tossed it in the back seat before he faced her. "Don't freak out."

"Why would I freak ou-what are you...stop that!"

Tasuku ignored her and simply picked her up and sat her in his lap, her feet propped up in her now-empty chair. He wrapped one arm around her and used the other to cup her cheek. "I know there are people around and that someone might see us, but all I'm going to do is kiss you, Teru." He laid his forehead against hers and lowered his voice to a whisper as he leaned in. "Because I love you, too. And it's been damn long since this morning."

It's only been a few hours, she wanted to tease, but she couldn't, not only because her mouth was suddenly busy, but because after the gluttony of the past few days a few hours was a really, really long time to go without a kiss.

So, she just wrapped her arms around his neck and showed him how much she agreed.

They made it home a little later than expected, but it turned out that Tasuku had purposefully kept their travel times vague to waylay what he'd termed, 'those nosy bastards'. They stood side by side outside the door to his - now their - apartment and contemplated the doorknob.

"They could all be in there, like during my birthday party."

"Doubtful," as he'd promised injury on anyone who might have thought to intrude on this first homecoming. But… "Just in case, though." He unlocked the door and swung it open, both still standing outside, craning their necks as the checked the interior. "Looks good." He picked up their luggage and tossed them into the room then he smiled down at Teru. "Ready."

She looked back at him and she didn't blush. She didn't look nervous. She just looked...happy. "Ready."

"Okay, then," Tasuku nodded, and then picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

She laughed and grabbed on to his shirt as he took her through the door. "That isn't how you carry your future bride through a door!"

He shut and locked the door then did slow circle with her still over his shoulder so that she could how Riko had distributed her bits and pieces around the room. "Well, we're not married yet, so that's one reason to ignore you, and this isn't America, so that's two. Wait." He slid her down so that she rested, princess-style in his arms and then he grinned at her. "Have you been researching wedding rituals?"

Her mumbled 'maybe' had him grinning even more. "Geek."

"Look who's talking!" She giggled and put a hand over his face. "Are you going to put me down?" She slid her hands down to push at his shoulders, then stopped, her hands clenching instead in his shirt at the look on his face.

And now, instead of making her nervous, it was a look she craved. So much so that she slid her hands into his hair and tugged him down herself when he just continued to stare.

He didn't need to be asked twice. He just held her there in his arms, kissing her repeatedly until they broke apart for breath. His knees threatened to buckle when she kissed his throat, so he took the few steps to the couch and laid her out, propping himself above her, marveling at the reality of her, until her drowsy eyes opened and her arms pulled him back to her once again.

Clothes were discarded by hasty hands or moved aside by avid mouths until they were both gasping. Teru's hand flailed for a moment then grasped the edge of the coffee table as Tasuku's mouth moved over her torso, the other holding onto the back of the couch as her senses overloaded. "Ta-Tasuku!"

He groaned at the sound of his name on her lips and traveled back up to kiss her long and deep, not stopping until she was whimpering, her arms and legs jealously tight as they held him close. He pulled back just enough so that their eyes met, then he held her gaze as he slowly pushed home, then laid still.

Her neck arched in a gasp as she adjusted to him, and what else could he do but follow that line with his mouth. He bit her when she arched against him in a silent bid to move, and that bite made her legs squeeze him so hard he saw stars. "God. Teru."

"Daisy." He opened his eyes at her moan and watched her arch against him once more before her eyes met his. "Please."

"Well, then," he panted, He tugged her legs higher around his waist then pulled out slowly, grinning and groaning at the frantic squeeze of her legs, as though she were afraid he was going to leave her. His sudden thrust had her crying out and grasping at the cushions for purchase. "Since you asked Daisy-san so nicely."

"How long have we been home?"

At least that's what Tasuku thought she said. The words were mumbled against his chest, which is where she'd stayed after they fell off the couch.

He looked at his watch, which, beside one sock, was the only thing he had on. "About two hours ago."

"Yeah, but," she made a vague gesture then dropped her hand back to the carpet. "How long were we home before we, you know?"

They'd fallen asleep for a short while and then woken once again to an amorous embrace that hadn't ended even when they'd tumbled from the couch. He smiled and ran a hand down her back until he could pat her butt. "About five minutes."

"Oh." He felt, more than heard, her sigh. "I forgot to say 'I'm home'." She yawned hugely and then snuggled closer to his chest. "I'm home."

"Welcome home, Teru."

One more to go… and then I'll do one shots like their wedding, 1st pregnancy announcement, going into labor, as well as some shorts on other characters.


End file.
